Abstract:
Constructivism is potentially powerful, both as an epistemology with consequences for the nature of learning, and as a personal set of beliefs to inform teaching. Preliminary results of two years observation in a tenth grade geometry classroom in Hawaii indicate that after a relatively short period many of the students in the class believe themselves to be constructing their knowledge of geometry. The teacher of the class believes that radical constructivism informs his daily practice and allows for future curriculum development. This paper will explore the extent to which the constructive process in this ethnically-diverse context is culture-dependent.