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The constructivist fi'(UneH:ork 11rovides elernentar;1 school teachers lvith peda-· gogical guidance and professional support particularly effectivefbr teaching and learning social stu<lies benefiting both their young learners and their jJtcservice teachers. Research conducted with approximately I 00 elementary school teachers 11roduced three k:ey conllitions .for appZying the constructivist fran1ev./ork coetently to social studies education. Findings fro111 this research revealed that ele111enta1~y school teachers believe that_/Oren1ost the)' 1nust he cognizant of and JJroficient in their: (I) knowledge, skills. and attitudes of social studies content and pwposes, (2) understandingjiJr developing social studies curriculum and methods for communicating the social studies effectively both independently and integrated across the curriculum, and (3) pedagogical expertisefor designing andfaci/itating meaning/it! social studies instruction formally and informally. The teachers in this study overwhelmingly reported that, based upon their experiences, none of these areas nor the conslruclivistfiwnework is highly valued nor adequately supported by their school districts and building administrators which greatly impacts their success 1vith both their young learners and their preservice teachers. "Constructivism refers to a set of related theories that deal with the nature of knowledge" (Schuerman, 1998, p.6). Schuerman ascertains that knowledge is created hy the individual, influenced by past experiences and personal values, and continues to develop with sustained inquiry, investigation, participation, application, and reflection. The constructivist framework differs from the behaviorist framework wherein knowledge "exists outside of people and independently of them. For the behaviorist [and most teachers], a good education instills in learners an accepted body of information and skills previously established by others" (Schuerman, 1998. p.7). THE ROLES OF TEACHERS IN THE CONSTRUCTIVIST FRAMEWORK In his research, Schuerman identifies four roles of teachers or approaches to teaching including the functions of: (I) transmitter or behaviorist who presents information to learners independently of the individual; (2) manager or information processor who is influenced partially by the individual's prior knowledge, (3) facilitator or cognitive constructivist who guides learners through activities dependent on the individual's intellectual development, and SPRING 200 I 27 1 Gallavan: Applying the Constructivist Framework to Elementary School Social Published by PDXScholar, 2002 (4) collaborator or social constructivist who engages learners actively in open-ended inquires conducted interdependently among all participants. Most teachers employ each of these four roles or approaches to teaching in varying degrees and for different purposes and with different learners throughout their daily classroom lessons and interactions. Teachers need to recognize that each role serves a specific function, and that teachers and learners benefit when teachers incorporate all four approaches quickly and naturally throughout the teaching and learning process. However, teachers arc least likely to use the collaborator or social constructivist framework (Schuerman, 1998, p.9). And it is this role or approach that frequently offers the most effective method to ensure that all learners encounter powerful instruction and personalized learning experiences that help them to connect content with relevance and authenticity, areas of major importance particularly for teaching and learning clcn1cntary school social studies. THE GOALS OF THE CONSTRUCTIVIST FRAMEWORK Honcbcin (1996, p. 11-13) identifies seven pedagogical goals requisite for successful constructivist learning. rrhcsc goals urge teach-

Applying the Constructivist Framework to Elementary School Social Studies: Benefits for Young Learners and Preservice Teachers