When educators step inside the classroom doors, they must find effective teaching strategies to assist the students. Although there are many different ways to teach a classroom, direct instruction and constructivist theories of learning are two of the most common methods. No matter what method the teacher selects, it is important that the teacher take any means necessary to make sure the student has an understanding of the information that is presented in the classroom.
Direct instruction is a very straight forward and structured way of teaching. Instructors start by creating a lesson plan and attempt to advance on the subject every class by achieving goals. This type of learning requires the teacher to have a very active role by controlling most of the classroom events. Teachers transfer information directly to the student and are the most efficient resource in the classroom. Direct instruction is most effective and efficient when a group needs to master similar skills and information. It is less effective when "deep conceptual change is an objective or when exploration, discovery, and open-ended objectives are the object of instruction (Slavin, 2003, p.222)." This method is also better for teaching student's declarative knowledge, rather than procedural knowledge because students learn facts without gaining experience.
Constructivist theories of learning differ from direct instruction because teachers are not just giving the students knowledge. Instead, this method requires the teacher to take a step back and allow the student to construct knowledge on their own. The role of the teacher changes to facilitate the process by attempting to make learning more meaningful to every student because they are gaining experience as well as facts. This allows the individual to discover information on their own, making them feel as if they are playing a more active role in their education.
