Variation Theory (VT) is difficult to contrast with other educational theories because it is broadly inclusive of many different pedagogical strategies, such as considering prior knowledge, designing lessons based on desired outcomes, recognizing educator biases, and implementing formative assessment (Ling, 2012). However, at its core, VT does seem to epistemologically juxtapose Constructivism. Constructivism, introduced by Jean Piaget (1953), asserts that humans construct new knowledge through one of two processes: assimilation or accommodation. In assimilation, an individual builds upon their prerequisite knowledge by incorporating new information that is logically consistent with their internal representations (called schemata) of the world. Alternatively, in accommodation, an individual’s schemata are modified to include new information that is inconsistent with their prerequisite knowledge. Unlike Constructivism, VT does not support the creation of knowledge through the adaptation of schemata. Rather, VT suggests that learning only occurs when individuals experience appropriate dimensions of variation, which allow them to discern the critical features of an object of learning. So, while both theories recognise that personal experience is a key agent in the acquisition of new knowledge, they disagree fundamentally with respect to how new knowledge is created.

Another important difference between Constructivism and VT is that Constructivism is strictly a theory of learning and not a pedagogical framework. As I stated earlier, VT is rooted in the psychology of learning but it can also be used as a practical pedagogical tool. While educational researchers often employ Constructivist rationale to inform lesson design, it remains that the key tenets of Constructivism are largely untested philosophical conjecture (Tobias & Duffy, 2009). Variation theorists, on the other hand, have co-opted the Japanese Lesson Study to produce testable hypotheses to develop and improve the practical implementation of VT (Ling, 2012). Plausibly, the North American focus on Constructivism in pre-service teaching programs will shift towards VT, as VT continues to narrow the gap between a theory of learning and teaching practice.