Why is the notion of identity so important for the Constructivist Essay

Why is the notion of identity so important for the Constructivist approach - Essay Example Constructivist approach maintains central place in the disciplines including teaching and education, sociology and economics, and philosophy and psychology. However, it has obtained imperative significance in history, international relations and political science too due to its validity and vastness in respect of defining and encompassing the developments being observed at national and international scales by depicting the motifs and intentions behind the entire scenario of rabidly developing world at large. First articulated by the contemporary era American political scientist and theorist Nicholas Greenwood Onuf, the Constructivist approach submits to state that human actions appear to be the most dynamic factors of all progresses being observed in all parts of the world without discrimination. Consequently, it is human actions that give birth to social and political changes in accordance with the events taking place at international arena. These events and incidents appear to be r eliant upon one another in a sense that one event may give way to the others making a chain of developments subsequently (Onuf, 1989, p.49). For instance, it was the strict German political scheme against the vanquished France in the aftermath of the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-71, which had given a go to the establishment of several international alliances including the Dreikaiserabund (or Three Emperors League), Triple Entete, Triple Alliance and others from 1875 to 1912. Similarly, the Treaty of Versailles (1919) drafted by the then British and French prime ministers i.e. Lloyd George and Clemenceau respectively in the aftermath of WWI, certainly contained the seeds and elements of another horrible war for the future years to come (Lowe, 1996, p.238). Moreover, the active participation of America in the Russ-Afghan conflict (1979-89) not only led the circumstances towards the disintegration of Russia, but also

Compare my experience in taking an online course versus that of a Essay

Compare my experience in taking an online course versus that of a traditional classroom course - Essay Example , weigh the facts, make connections and use this information to achieve a wide variety of outputs, the â€Å"acquisition of skills, knowledge and attitudes† (Boradbent, 2002: 111) that makes a successful learner. For me, a rich learning experience is found whenever it becomes possible for students to be actively engaged in the learning process. This happens when the knowledge to be gained is transmitted in a way that encourages students to apply various learning techniques to the material thus making it possible for them to achieve lifelong learning in whatever area they choose. However, as more and more colleges begin to offer online courses, it is important to compare the level of learning that can be achieved in these classes as compared with more traditional environments. Before it is possible to determine which learning environment would be best for me, I first underwent a process of discovering my own personal learning style. This was a difficult process because I didn’t seem to have any one way in which I learned best. David Kolb suggested that there are basically four different types of learning styles used by the majority of students to differing degrees. Within his classification system, I recognized two methods that particularly applied to my individual learning style including the diverger and the accommodator (Kolb, 2002: 114). What helps me to learn best is when I find myself in an open environment where discussions can take place without being afraid of offending and where ideas can be explored. However, there are times when even this is not exactly the best option for me as I just need to engage in some passive activity, learning from other people’s ideas. This is not unusual as Boradbent indicates, â€Å"learning styles ar e not cast in concrete. Learners are not always hooked on one style† (2002: 115). At the most basic level, I agree with Mel Silberman (cited in Boradbent, 2002: 115) who says that the most effective learning