Volume 4, Issue 2

April 2016

A Letter From Your SIG Chair

Dear Constructivist Theory, Research, and Practice SIG members,

In this special conference edition of our Constructivist SIG newsletter you will find
information about SIG related events during the AERA conference. I encourage you to join
us for the Constructivist SIG paper sessions as well as our business meeting! The business
meeting is scheduled on Sunday, April 10, from 6:30-8:00pm in Convention Center, Level
One, Room 158B. We will have a wine and cheese reception during the business meeting.
Throughout this year, the SIG has been busy making connections with constructivist oriented organizations and scholars, including international scholars. The business meeting
will feature presentations that reflect those connections. Dr. Angela Murray, an assistant
professor at the University of Kansas, will present about publishing opportunities in The
Journal of Montessori Research. Dr. Clive Beck and Dr. Clare Kosnik, both from the Ontario
Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto, will present their international and
comparative research entitled, Modeling Constructivism in a Teacher Education Program.
Their research is a fascinating multi-country study of constructivist practices in teacher
education.

Newsletter

THE CONSTRUCTIVIST THEORY,

RESEARCH & PRACTICE SIG

Welcome to the AERA 2016 edition of our SIG newsletter! The

Constructivist SIG leadership has been busy preparing an engaging and
informative program to help celebrate AERAs Centennial Year in
Washington, DC.

The business meeting will also include the presentation of the award for the SIGs
Outstanding Conference Submission Award. Additionally, you will hear about the activity of
the SIG, as well as upcoming leadership and professional opportunities. This is a growing
SIG, and we encourage you and your colleagues to be a part of it!
Hope to see you in DC!
Erik Byker, Ph.D.

Award for Best Original Submission

Each year our awards committee reviews proposal submissions and nominates
one conference proposal to receive the award for the best original conference
submission. The conference proposal awardee is determined by the blind
reviews of the Awards Committee. This years award goes to the conference
proposal entitled, Constructing the Inquiry Processing Cycle: Preparing
Prospective Teacher Candidates for Success with Constructivist Practices.
The proposal was submitted by Heather Coffey, Erik Jon Byker, Amy J. Good,
Tina Lane Heafner, Susan Harden, Chris O Brien, Katie Brown, Debra Holzberg, and Brian Williams all who are from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. On behalf of the Constructivist
SIG at the American Educational Research Association, congratulations go out to this research
team!
Much thanks to following members of our Constructivist SIG Awards Committee for their
reviews: Shampa Biswas, Young-Hee Park, Vicki Thomas, Mikko Tiilikainen, and Tingting Xu,
who is the Awards Committee Chairperson.

2016 AERA ANNUAL MEETING

SIG Sessions
The 2016 AERA annual meeting is here! The Constructivist Theory, Research, and Practice SIG would like to extend
a very big thank you to those who reviewed proposals for the 2016 AERA Conference. Please join us for our SIG sessions and business meeting.
Session One: Teaching Resources: Blogging, E-Texts, and Learner-Centered Classes in Constructivist Practices
Saturday, April 9, 10:35am to 12:05pm (Convention Center, Level One, Room 158 A)
Chair: Jannah Nerren
1) E-Textbook as Object and Mediator: Interactions between Instructor and Student Activity SystemsKathy L. Schuh, Samuel Van Horne, & Jae-Eun Russell, all from the University of Iowa

2) Shifting Schemas: Perspectives of Preservice Teachers in a Learner-Centered Course Tisha A Duncan and Rachel Nicole Redwine from Meredith College
-

Session Two: Constructivist Practices and Teacher Training, Practice, and Research
Sunday, April 10, 2:45 to 4:15pm (Convention Center, Level One, Room 158 A)
Chair: Erik Jon Byker
1) Constructing the Inquiry Processing Cycle: Preparing Prospective Teacher Candidates for Success with Constructivist Practices
Heather Coffey, Erik Jon Byker, Amy J. Good, Tina Lane Heafner, Susan Harden, Chris P. OBrien, Katie Brown, Debra Holzberg,
& Brian Williams- all from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte
2) Research Related to Facilitating Instructional Differentiation via Teacher Reflections About Desired and Current Constructivist
Practices - Walter S. Polka, Niagara University; Monica J. VanHusen, Stafford County Public Schools; William M. Young, Oglala
Lakota College; Terrell M Peace, Huntington University; Cathy J. Pearman, Missouri State University; Jennifer Young, Jackson
State University; Shirley A. Lefever-Davis, Wichita State University; Nancy P. Gallavan, University of Central Arkansas; & Kurt
Minervino, City Honors High School
3) Uncovering Qualities of Teachers' Pedagogical Reasoning Related to Constructivist-Associated
Teaching - Mikko Tiilikainen, University of Turku; Jukka Husu, University of Turku; & Auli Toom,
University of Helsinki

Annual SIG Business Meeting

Sunday, April 10, 6:30pm-8:00pm (Convention Center, Level One, Room 158B)
Join us for a wine and cheese reception at the business meeting.
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Announcements
Robert Abrams, a member of the Constructivist SIG, studied with Joseph Novak at Cornell. He currently works as a senior
analyst for the New York City Department of Education's SchoolFood on several research and evaluation projects. He would
love to network with other Constructivist SIG members who are involved in school food research. He is also interested in
connecting with SIG members who are developing or using Constructivist approaches to child therapy (any kind of therapy).
Contact Robert at robert@robertabrams.net
Efforts are underway to establish a Montessori Education SIG within AERA. The formal description of the SIG is to
support, promote, and disseminate information, research, and evaluation of Montessori education and philosophy, in both the
public and private sector, through diverse research approaches and collaborations. The annual membership fee for the
proposed SIG (for regular members and student members.) $10/$5. The governance office set up an online "petition" where
we need to collect at least 100 signatures before we can take the next step. If you would be interested in such a group, your
digital signature would be most welcome: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/8229FYF

Also, Don't forget to sign up as a Constructivist SIG volunteer reviewer of proposals for AERA 2017, which will be in
San Antonio, TX. The deadline to register as a reviewer is May 11, 2016. More details are on the AERA website.
http://www.aera.net

Hot off the Press!!

One of our SIG members (Linda Lambert) and her colleagues have a new book being published by Teachers College
Press in April, 2016, Liberating Leadership Capacity: Pathways to Educational Wisdom It is co-authored by Linda
Lambert, Diane Zimmerman, and Mary Gardner. It is the newest work in Constructivist Leadership, updating our work
in
The Constructivist Leader (1995, 2002).
They would love to see you at their book signing on Sunday, April 10, 12:30, Booth 401.

Looking for Current SIG News?

Updates and current news including job announcements can be found on our SIG Wiki constructsig.wikispaces.com . If you have an
announcement you would like to add, please contact our webmaster at ebyker@gmail.com

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