Constructivism suggests that humans construct knowledge and meaning from their experiences. So an individual’s knowledge is a function of one’s prior experiences, mental structures, and beliefs that are used to interpret objects and events. The present study tries to seek for what constructivists believe regarding curriculum development; they claim that learners construct their own reality or at least interpret it based upon their perceptions of experiences, What someone knows is grounded in perception of the physical and social experiences which are comprehended by the mind (Jonasson, 1991). Feature of this approach is that it does not adopt doctrinaire allegiance to particular levels of teacher input ( as can be the case with teaching through discovery learning , or direct instruction) but rather the level of teacher guidance (a) is determined for particular learning activities by considering the learners and the materials to be learnt ; (b) shifts across sequences of teaching and learning episodes, and includes potential for highly structured guidance and, as well as more exploratory activities. When understood in these terms, constructivism provides a sound theoretical basis for informing teaching at all levels, and in all disciplines. If our efforts in reforming education for all students are to succeed, then we must focus on students. The study concluded that teachers need to reflect on their practice in order to apply these ideas to their work and that constructivist teachers encourage students to constantly assess how the activity is helping them gain understanding.

The present study was conducted to ascertain the environmental awareness across gender, locale, type of schools and academic stream among senior secondary school students. The sample of the study comprised of 300 11th class students studying in different government and non- government senior secondary schools of Sambhal district (U.P.) of Moradabad region. Environment Awareness Ability Measure (EAAM) by Praveen Kumar Jha (1998) was used to collect the data for the purpose. The data were analyzed using descriptive (Mean, Standard Deviations) and inferential (‘t’- test) statistics. The findings of the present study revealed that there is significant difference in environmental awareness of senior secondary school students across gender (boys and girls), type of schools (government and non-government) and academic stream (science and arts). However no significant difference is found in case of rural and urban sample. The reason for this result may be the rampant illiteracy in the district. Stakeholders should, therefore, ensure that the curriculum relating to environmental education is transacted as a core curriculum. Other activities related to environmental education viz., curricular, co- curricular and literary activities should also be organized to infuse environmental awareness among students.

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Constructivism is a departure in thought about the nature of knowing, hence of learning and thus of teaching. Constructivists believe that knowledge and truth are constructed by people and therefore do not exist outside the human mind. Von Glaserfeld (1984) has written: “…learners construct understanding. They do not simply mirror and reflect what they are told or what they read. Learners look for meaning and will try to find regularity and order in the events of the world even in the absence of full or complete information.” Constructivism requires a teacher to act as a facilitator whose main function is to help students become active participants in their learning and make meaningful connections between prior knowledge, new knowledge, and the processes involved in learning. Teachers, thus, need to have a sound understanding of what constructivism means to evaluate its promise and to use it knowledgeably and effectively. Hence, from a constructivist perspective, the primary responsibility of the teacher is to create and maintain a collaborative problem-solving environment, where students are allowed to construct their own knowledge, and the teacher acts as a facilitator and guide. In the constructivist model, students are urged to be actively involved in their own process of learning, on the assumption that individuals construct knowledge instead of receiving it from others. The way in which knowledge is conceived and acquired, the types of knowledge, skills, and activities emphasized, the role of the learner and the teacher, how goals are established: All of these factors are expressed differently from the constructivist perspective (Christie & Stone, 1999). This paper explicates some of the theoretical background of Constructivism and then presents.

The present study was conducted to investigate home environment and academic self-concept as predictors of career maturity among adolescents. Descriptive survey method of research was used for collecting the data using Home Environment Scale by Sarla Java and Academic Self Concept Scale (ASCS) by Reynolds et al. (1980)