Understanding Re-Learning Mathematics from Analyzing Constructivist-Based Cognitive Theories

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Friday 9:45 am - Gold 4
  In Roundtable Session: Exploring innovative pathways for learning: Reflection, network modeling, iterations, and theoretical analysis

Abstract

This study develops a theoretical framework for understanding how adults relearn mathematics, addressing an overlooked gap in developmental education research. Integrating constructivist theories, conceptual change models, and generative learning, I propose relearning as a complex cognitive process involving reactivation of prior knowledge, reorganization of existing conceptual structures, and reinterpretation within new contexts. This meta-theoretical approach moves beyond simplistic views of relearning as mere repetition, emphasizing the active reconstruction of knowledge. The resulting framework informs instructional design and promotes a theory-driven approach to developmental mathematics, supporting deeper, lasting student understanding by clarifying the cognitive mechanisms learners engage in while revisiting mathematical concepts.

Author

• Michael N. Johnson, University of Iowa