The role of constructivism in reseach in science education

Abstract

In this paper we will examine the challenges placed on research studies in science education inspired in the Piagetian constructivism. We will do so by assessing the merit of some criticisms that are being made to the constructivist research in science education regarding the following aspects: 1. The subjacent misleading epistemology of some studies; 2. too much emphasis on individual aspects of cognition, disregarding social and communicative factors; 3. supposed universality of the general learning principles and mechanisms; 4. an approach centered almost exclusively on conceptual aspects of science instead of a teaching centered on technological applications and on the social impact of science. We will stress the possibilities of constructivism to answer some of those demands, but we will mainly discuss the role and limits of theories in fields of large complexity such as education. Instead of trying to be a wide and embracing theory of education, constructivism must recover its epistemological nature, deepen its contributions as a learning theory, and look for an articulation with other dimensions and directions of research in science education.