구성주의에서의 지식의 문제와 사회과 교육의 방향 = The Problem of Knowledge in Constructivism and the Direction of Social Studies Education

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

The purpose of this study is to criticize radical constructivism in connection with knowledge conception, to claim that social constructivism is more valid than radical one, and suggest the direction of social studies education in light of social constructivism. Constructivism claims, in opposition to the objectivist paradigm`s assertion of existence of objective reality, that each individual constructs reality and knowledge. This claim is valid in light of advent of information society and prevalence of postmodernism which asserts that we should pay regard to plurality. Constructivism has two branches: radical one and social one. It is difficult to accept the former because of its tendency to relativism and subjectivism. On the contrary, the latter attaches importance to social interaction in the process of knowledge formation and them lies halfway between objectivism and subjectivism. Therefore, social constructivism is more valid than radical one in the light of present trend of thought which tries to surmount both objectivism and relativism. Social constructivism suggests to social studies education as follows. First, constructivism can be applied to social studies education than other subject(for example, natural science, mathematics). Therefore social studies education must accept constructivism positively. Second, in relation to establishing curriculum, social constructivism suggests that the way the central government establishes curriculum uniformly from the above should be rejected, that the central government must collect the public opinion of educator, social scientist, teacher, parents of students and determines the contents at a minimum which students should learn and other considerable portions should be entrusted to teachers and students. Third, situated learning is emphasized. Finally, cooperative learning is emphasized because that social constructivism attach importance to interaction between teacher and students, among students.