| Schools are experiencing unprecedented access to the Internet and its use is shifting from an information tool to an instructional resource. At the same time, pedagogical shifts toward constructivism are at the fore. Despite much theory on constructivism as it relates to learning, little is known about constructivist teaching practices. Previous research has identified a relationship between constructivist-oriented teachers and use of the Internet. Missing from the research, and the focus of this study, is an understanding of what constitutes constructivist teaching, how constructivist pedagogy is manifested in classroom practices, and the relationship between constructivist practices and Internet use.; Qualities that characterize constructivist teaching were culled from the literature and used to guide selection of three elementary school teachers who also exhibited high Internet use. Data from formal and informal interviews, classroom and computer lab observations, and ancillary print material were analyzed through a constant-comparative process. Cross case analysis looked particularly at Internet use and produced further interpretation.; The findings of this study resulted in eight characteristics held jointly by the constructivist-oriented teachers. The teachers' use of constructivist pedagogy was consistent across all aspects of their practice, they used metacognitive and purposeful teaching strategies, and they were leaders in their profession. Paradoxically, the teachers understood the importance of teaching with technology, but exhibited limited knowledge of how to incorporate the Internet into their teaching. Teachers also experienced time constraints, a conflict between their constructivist philosophy and expectations placed upon them, and the need for information literacy skills curricula and technical support. Recommendations for constructivist theory and technology are provided based on these findings. |
