Social Constructivism: Does it Succeed in Reconciling Individual Cognition with Social Teaching and Learning Practices in Mathematics?

Abstract

This article examines the literature associated with social constructivism. It discusses whether social constructivism succeeds in reconciling individual cognition with social teaching and learning practices. After reviewing the meaning of individual cognition and social constructivism, two views –Piaget and Vygotsky’s- accounting for learning from social constructivist perspectives including the differences and similarities between them are argued. This paper also reviews some research that is conducted from a social constructivist perspective.

Keywords: mathematics education, social constructivism, teaching and learning, educational psychology.