Unit 5 Seminar Cognitive Development Developmental Theories (Piaget and Vygotsky)

 Learning Outcomes  Unit 5 Assignments  Piaget's Theory of Cognitive Development  Vygotsky's Theory of Cognitive Development  Comparing Piaget and Vygotsky  Questions

By the end of Unit 4, you should be able to 1. Discuss characteristics of Jean Piaget's Theory 2. Discuss characteristics of Lev Vygotsky's Theory 3. Compare and contrast the Piaget and Vygotsky 4. Create an authentic learning activity

 Complete Readings  Participate in the Discussion thread  Either attend Seminar OR complete Seminar Option 2

 Children are active, motivated learners  Children naturally organize what they experience schemes operation  Children adapt to environment through assimilation & accommodation  Interaction with physical environment is critical  Interaction with others is critical  Equilibration leads to increasingly complex thought equilibrium disequilibrium  Children think in qualitatively different ways at different age levels

 Begins with reflexes & sensorimotor schemes  Goal-directed behavior emerges  Object permanence emerges  Symbolic thought emerges transition to new stage

 Symbolic representation  Limited mental manipulation (operations) egocentrism failure to conserve  Age 2 to about age 6 or 7

 Some mental manipulation & logical thought can conserve difficulty with abstract and counterfactual ideas  Age 6-7 years until years

 Abstract & scientific reasoning  Hypothetical ideas  Contrary-to-fact ideas  Adolescents also become more idealistic

 Research supports sequence  Research does not support ages infants show object permanence at 2 ½ months preschoolers aren’t always egocentric and often demonstrate conservation and class inclusion some elementary students exhibit abstract reasoning some high-school students never develop abstract reasoning  Knowledge, experience, and culture affect reasoning abilities conservation may be taught children age 4 or 5 exhibit conservation after experiencing it prior knowledge affects formal operations education and culture affect cognitive development  Cognitive development may not be universally stage- like

 Provide opportunities for children to experiment  Explore children’s reasoning, problem-solving with different activities & questions  Keep Piaget’s stages in mind, but don’t take them too literally  Present situations and ideas that children cannot easily explain using existing knowledge & beliefs  Use familiar content and tasks when asking children to reason in sophisticated ways  Plan group activities in which young people share their beliefs and perspectives

 Some cognitive processes are seen in many species; others are unique to humans lower vs. higher functions  Adults convey cultural interpretations through informal interactions & formal schooling mediation  Every culture passes along physical and cognitive tools  Thought & language become interdependent self-talk becomes inner speech  Complex mental processes begin as social activities & evolve into mental activities internalization

 Children acquire cultural tools in their own idiosyncratic manner appropriation  Children can perform more challenging tasks when assisted  Challenging tasks promote cognitive growth zone of proximal development  Play allows children to stretch themselves cognitively

 Social construction of meaning mediated learning experience  Scaffolding  Participation in adult activities guided participation cognitive apprenticeship  Acquisition of teaching skills

 Help children acquire cognitive tools  Use group learning activities to help children internalize cognitive strategies reciprocal teaching  Present challenging tasks & provide sufficient scaffolding help children develop strategies to scaffold themselves  Assess children’s abilities under a variety of work conditions  Provide opportunities to engage in authentic activities  Let children play

 Discuss your thoughts of the theories of Jean Piaget's and Lev Vygotksy.  What similarities do you see in the two theories?  What differences do you see?

PiagetVygotsky Constructive processes IndividualSocial ReadinessChildren can accommodate only when they can also assimilate the objects. They can think logically about new problems only if they have constructed the relevant logical operations. An ever-changing zone of proximal development.

PiagetVygotsky ChallengeChildren develop more sophisticated thought processes when they encounter phenomena that create disequilibrium. Children benefit most from tasks that they can perform only with assistance. Social interactionOthers present information and arguments that create disequilibrium and foster perspective taking. Children internalize the processes they use with others until, ultimately, they can use them independently.

Piaget  Cognitive development is independent of language  Developmental schemes are independent, requiring little guidance  Interaction with peers is more valuable  Culture is not important in determining thinking styles Vygotsky  Language is essential for cognitive development  Activities are facilitated & interpreted by more competent individual  Interaction with advanced individuals is more valuable  Culture is critical in determining thinking styles

 Piaget children are active, motivated learners who construct understanding based on experience probably underestimated capabilities of children probably overestimated the capabilities of adolescents  Vygotsky humans differ from other species in their acquisition of complex mental processes, which are largely the legacy of cultural heritage  Similarities constructive processes, readiness, challenge, social interaction  Differences role of language; relative value of free exploration versus structured, guided activities; relative importance of interactions with peers versus adults; influence of culture

Questions are always welcome!

McDevitt, T. M., & Ormrod, J. E. (2010). Child Development and Education. Saddle River: Pearson Education, Inc.