Running head: USE OF SOCIAL CONSTRUCTIVISM IN TUTORING SESSIONS 1

Use of Social Constructivism in Tutoring Sessions

Ana Krstic

Northern Illinois University College of Adult and Higher Education

Use of Social Constructivism in Tutoring Sessions

Learning can be a challenging endeavor. It can be additionally taxing if it is attempted as

a solitary pursuit. Phillips and Soltis speak of a defect posited in reasoning by Plato, Locke,

Skinner, Piaget and Von Glasersfeld. All of these great thinkers depicted learners as lone

investigators (Philips, 2009, p. 52). However, as humans are social animals, it would stand to

reason that social interactions have a role in learning. This is definitely true in settings such as a

tutoring center. Social constructivism has a role to play in both tutor-student interactions as well

as student-student study group interactions. In this paper I wish to provide an overview of social

constructivism attributes relevant to its applications to academic support. I am using this

particular approach to learning because it has proven valuable in enhancing tutoring sessions.

These sessions are most often in a group setting and it is a rare occurrence that a tutor and a

student are working one-on-one. I will strive to apply social constructivism’s emphasis on

language and logic in shaping tutor and student interactions. Additionally, I will explore the

philosophies of Vygotsky and Dewey and how they might be applied to tutoring sessions.

Garrison makes the case that John Dewey’s work shares similarities with social

constructivism. Some commonalities identified are: “the pivotal role played by language in

constructing meaning; treatment of logic as a tool of purposeful action; social acts of meaning

construction; and emergent social construction through interaction of culture, language, tools,

and patterns of labor (Garrison, 1995, p. 717).” In tutoring settings it is extremely important to

evaluate what phrasing would best serve to improve student understanding. Likewise, if a tutor

and a student can find a logical way to understand material, they are then able to find purpose in

whatever assignment they are trying to tackle. Ultimately, learning cannot occur in a vacuum.
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Tutors’ and student’s cultural, linguistic, and life experiences will shape their interactions and

how they approach learning.

Furthermore, Garrison cites the work of Vygotsky and connects it with Dewey’s

philosophy of learning. Vygotsky introduced a notion of “zone of proximal development”. This

is defined as: “the distance between the actual development level as determined by independent

problem solving and the level of potential development as determined through problem solving

under adult guidance or in collaboration with more capable peers.” Vygotsky insists that social

construction is an essential element of human learning. Garrison correlates this with Dewey’s

statement that “human ability to respond to meanings and to employ them, instead of reacting

merely to physical contacts, makes the difference between man and other animals (Garrison,

1995, p. 724)”. It should be noted that a more capable peer is often more skilled in just one

aspect of knowledge. Therefore, roles can be reverse very quickly and smoothly at any time

during a group study or tutoring session. Some group members have a better grasp of some

subject matter, while others have gained better comprehension in other material. Likewise, many

times it is the student that provides a tutor with valuable knowledge and resource. Tutor is

merely a facilitator who also benefits from students’ wisdom, experience, and varying

viewpoints.

Another aspect of Vygotsky’s work is situated learning. This kind of learning

emphasizes that knowledge is “maintained in the external, social world (Anderson, 1998, p.

236).” Therefore, classroom learning as well as tutoring center sessions have social aspects. In

turn, many complex problem solving tasks should be tackled in group learning situations.

Anderson further cements the value of situated learning with the important observation of

virtually all jobs being of a highly social nature. Additionally, situated learning is linked with
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“cooperative learning, also known as communities of practice and group learning (Anderson,

1998, p. 243).” While Anderson draws a sharp distinction between tutoring and cooperative

learning, it is not always the case that a tutor has a higher status than the tutee. In fact, often

times students are persuaded to join a tutoring session when the tutor is presented as a “near

peer.” It is emphasized that the tutor is also enrolled in classes, just as the student is.

Anderson is likewise cautious about the data that demonstrate benefits of cooperative

learning. He feels that group learning requires structure to be effective (Anderson, 1998, p. 243).

Fortunately, a well-planned study session guided by a tutor can provide the required structure to

maximize cooperative learning effectiveness. For example, the tutor may choose to create an

advanced organizer, such as a concept map, hierarchy, Venn diagram, or a KWL chart that

students can complete as a group.

In review, besides social constructivism’s role in cooperative learning, the emphasis on

language and logic also has implications in shaping tutor and student interactions. Further

attributes of social constructivism relevant to academic support are zone of proximal

development and situated learning. The importance of these features in planning tutoring

sessions is that tutors can be trained to be better aware of how to evaluate their phrasing in

interactions with students. Additionally, tutors should be informed about the value of group

study session as the attendees can be guided how to tackle problem solving and increase the

potential benefits for everyone involved. This is why I plan to use social constructivism theory

to create a curriculum for training tutors in conducting effective guided study group sessions.
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References

Anderson, J. R., Reder, L. M., Simon, H. A., Ericsson, K. A., & Glaser, R. (1998). Radical

Constructivism and Cognitive Psychology. Brookings Papers on Education Policy, (1),

227–278.

Garrison, J. (1995). Deweyan Pragmatism and the Epistemology of Contemporary Social

Constructivism. American Educational Research Journal, 32(4), 716–740.

Phillips, D. C., & Soltis, J. F. (2009). Perspectives on Learning (5th ed.). New York: Teachers

College Press.