The Effects of a Constructivist Teaching Approach on Student Academic Achievement, Self-concept, and Learning Strategies

Knowledge is not attained but constructed (von Glasersfeld, 1989). This statement came from a new challenge to the concept of traditional knowledge. Today, we are facing the challenge from an educational paradigm shift in public education in Korea. Parents and the general public have criticized the public schools and classroom environments, arguing that they are not ready to meet learner's needs and the demands of the industrial society in this 21st century information society. Some complain about current educational practices, raising questions about the inability of Korean students to perform creative thinking as well as problem solving tasks when compared to other advanced countries. There is a growing number of people and educational theorists claiming that educational consumer