Constructivist instructional approaches: A systematic review of evaluation‐based evidence for effectiveness

Abstract Constructivist instructional approaches have gained significant popularity in education as educators seek to create more engaging and effective learning environments. However, the effectiveness of these approaches in promoting student learning remains a subject of debate. This systematic review aims to synthesise existing evaluation‐based research on the effectiveness of constructivist approaches in improving student learning outcomes compared to traditional instructional methods, and to identify specific empirically proven effective constructivist approaches. Using standard review methodology, we searched ERIC, Education Research Complete, British Education Index, Social Science Citation Index, and Applied Social Sciences Index and Abstracts as sources of quasi‐ or true‐experimental educational studies published in the last 10 years (2014–2023). Inclusion/exclusion criteria were based on the PICO (population, intervention, comparison, outcome) framework and the year and language of publications. A total of 1315 studies were identified. Studies were screened by two independent reviewers who also extracted the data and accessed the study quality and risk of bias using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) critical appraisal tool. Thirty‐two articles met the inclusion criteria. Content analysis was used to code, analyse and synthesise the texts. This review study identified seven broad instructional approaches with a wide range of specific implementation strategies, rooted in constructivist learning theory, that revealed significant improvements in the various domains of learning. In conclusion, there is sufficient empirical data to be able to state with certainty that these instructional approaches are proven alternatives to the traditional method. Implications for educators, curriculum planners and researchers are briefly discussed. Context and implications Rationale for this study : Constructivist and process‐based learning approaches have been given more significance recently. Evidence‐informed practice requires practitioners and policy makers to integrate current best evidence with client context in order to provide meaningful and potentially effective services across a range of presenting problems. Systematic reviews are a crucial part of this process, providing practitioners and researchers with transparent, rigorous and informative syntheses of research in a given area. Hence, this systematic review is conducted with the purpose to identify empirically proven effective constructivist teaching‐learning approaches and implementation strategies that could be valuable input for curriculum planners and educators. Why the new findings matter : The findings from this systematic review are important in highlighting the most effective constructivist teaching‐learning approaches and showing important developments in the research area. As such, the findings can inform policy and practice for teacher education and professional development at national and international scales. Implications for educators, curriculum planners and researchers : Firstly, educators will benefit greatly by understanding the constructivist approach of teaching. By using the teaching‐learning strategies identified by this review study, educators can provide the necessary ground to increase students' motivation, academic achievement and academic vitality, as well as reduce their academic procrastination. Secondly, curriculum planners can incorporate these constructivist instructional strategies in curriculum planning and in the development and preparation of framework/guidelines for achievements of intended learning outcomes. Finally, the ideas and experiences in the examined articles would inspire educational researchers to explore further the potential of constructivist instructional methods focusing on unexplored areas identified and discussed by this review.