Which educational philosophy emphasizes that students learn by personally constructing meaning from what is taught?

The philosophy that emphasizes that students learn by personally constructing meaning from what is taught is Constructivism. This approach posits that learners actively engage with their experiences and knowledge to build understanding, rather than passively receiving information.

In constructivist classrooms, students are encouraged to explore, ask questions, and collaborate with peers, which helps them to interpret and make sense of their learning in a way that is meaningful to them. This focus on individual understanding reflects the core principle of constructivism—that knowledge is not simply transmitted by teachers but is built by students through their interactions with the world around them. This is in stark contrast to other educational philosophies, such as Perennialism, which advocates for the importance of timeless ideas and classics; Behaviorism, which emphasizes observable behaviors and external reinforcements; and Progressivism, which, while student-centered, still often retains some methods that do not prioritize personal construction of meaning to the same extent.