Knowledge in the teaching-learning process – from meeting standards to reflecting on standards

The paper concentrates on knowledge from the perspective of constructivism. We review several concepts (Dewey, Gordon, Bruner and others), with an emphasis on those for whom understanding knowledge is crucial and who focus their attention not so much on the external manifestations of student activity but on their mental significance and the processes involved. The discussion presented in the paper is of a theoretical nature, while the analysis of knowledge is not conducted from the psychological (individualized) perspective, but exposes the social consequences of education. Thus, the analysis does not deal with the mind as such, but what the school system does with students’ minds and what consequences this may have. As a result of the analysis undertaken the paper is in two parts. The first part reflects the approach of teachers to knowledge when pragmatic constructivism is the point of reference. The second presents knowledge from the learner’s perspective, as a participant in the educational process. Finally, the conclusions list the social consequences of education derived from specific (positivist/anti-positivist) concepts of knowledge.