Wait a second!
More handpicked essays just for you.
More handpicked essays just for you.
Discuss constructivist teaching
child development theory reseach
Discuss constructivist teaching
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Recommended: Discuss constructivist teaching
A. Cognitive Development Theory In a general sense the theory of cognitive development is not just a single theory but a number of theories offered by a number of cognitive psychologists over the past century. In summary though, cognitive development is the processes by which learning is developed by the construction of thought processes, memory, solving problems, decision-making and covers the life span from childhood to adulthood, but learning does not necessarily stop with adulthood. This construction process is clinically known as “Constructivism”. In constructivism it is not the world, or society that is developing a child but it is the child that is taking in information and constructing themselves with the information that the society they live in has accumulated over previous generations. Jean Piaget’s (1896-1980) theory of constructivism states that children are only able to learn up to a certain level of development and once a biological mile stone mark has been reached then they will be able to take in new information and knowledge adding to their already acquired knowledge. If a level of knowledge that is beyond a child’s current level of understanding they will be unable to understand what is being presented to them, and it’s the biology of the brain that determines when a child will be able to continue to the next higher level of information. Piaget placed these markers or “takes off” points at the ages of 18 months, 7 years, and 12 years of age. This theory is view much like building a house with each phase of construction needed to be completed before the next phase can begin hence the term constructivism. In other words society can only give a certain level of knowledge to a child and anything higher woul... ... middle of paper ... ...ch 25, 2011 http://www.simplypsychology.org/vygotsky.html Social Development Theory (L. Vygotsky). Explorations in Learning & Instruction: The Theory Into Practice Database. Retrieved March 26, 2011 http://tip.psychology.org/vygotsky.html Beaumie Kim, The University of Georgia. (2006). Social Constructivism. Retrieved March 15, 2011 http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/index.php?title=Social_Constructivism Educational Implications of Piaget's Theory. PEARSON. Retrieved March 26, 2011 http://wps.ablongman.com/ab_slavin_edpsych_8/38/9951/2547688.cw/content/index.html Classroom Applications of Vygotsky's Theory. PEARSON. Retrieved March 26, 2011 http://wps.ablongman.com/ab_slavin_edpsych_8/38/9951/2547689.cw/content/index.html Vygotsky, L.S. (1978). Mind and society: The development of higher mental processes. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
VYGOTSKY, LS (1978), ‘Mind in Society: Development of Higher Psychological Processes’, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press.
Vygotsky, L. S. 1978. Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes . London: Harvard University Press. 57.
Cognition is the process involved in thinking and mental activity, such as attention, memory and problem solving. In this essay on cognitive development I will compare and contrast the theories of Piaget and Vygotsky, who were both influential in forming a more scientific approach to analyzing the cognitive development process of the child active construction of knowledge. (Flanagan 1996 P.72). I will then evaluate the usefulness of these theories in understanding a child's development.
In this essay I intend to discuss two psychological theories of development; The psychodynamic approach and the behavioural approach. In order to do this, I will outline each theory and explain how it accounts for psychological development, health and behaviour of the individual. In addition to this, I will explain how an understanding of these theories relates to care and would help a care professional to support an individual in a care setting.
The third stage is the Concrete Operational stage (7-11 years); this is when children are starting to solve problems mentally and develop concepts and are beginning to get better at understanding and following rules. Piaget’s fourth and final stage is the Formal Operational Stage (11 years and over); this stage is where the child is able to think not only as in the terms of the concrete, but also think in the abstract and is now able to think hypothetically. Piaget’s theory is one where children learn in a different manner to that of adults as they do not have the life experiences and interactions that adults have and use to interpret information. Children learn about their world by watching, listening and doing. Piaget’s constructivist theory has had a major impact on current theories and practices of education. Piaget has helped to create a view where the focus is on the idea of developmentally appropriate education. This denotes to an education with environments, materials and curriculum that are coherent with a student’s cognitive and physical abilities along with their social and emotional
Developmental theories are broken up into two perspectives; Life-course, and Latent Trait. These perspectives may answer questions on why juveniles have grown to lead a destructive life-style and why others grow out of their delinquency. Latent trait explains that some tendencies we are may be born with and how important it is to be there for our children. Our parenting skills do have a profound effect on how our children may lack self control or have an impulsive behavior.
Jean Piaget (1896-1980) was a psychologist who developed a theory that was completely unlike any other psychologists at that time. His idea, called Cognitive Development, stated that the actual chronological age of an adolescent is not as important as the age they experience things, or the experiential age. Cognitive is defined as “the ability to reason, make judgments, and learn” (Gorman & Anwar, 2014). Piaget goes on to describe the importance of coping with the ever-changing environment as an integral part of intelligence, and the next level of developmental stage cannot be obtained until one completes the current stage. Piaget’s Developmental Theory involves four stages: sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational, and formal operations.
Jean Piaget (1896 - 1980), was a Swiss psychologist who was the first to make a systematic study of cognitive development. Before Piaget’s work, the common assumption in psychology was that children were merely less capable thinkers than adults. After Piaget’s work it was realized that fact of the matter was that young children think extraordinarily different than adults (McLeod, S. A). According to Piaget’s study, we are born with a very basic mental structure (genetically inherited and evolved) on which all subsequent learning and knowledge is based. The theory explains the methods and procedures by which the infant, and then the child, develops into an individual (Boeree, G.). Piaget’s theory focuses more on development than learning, it doesn’t seem to address learning of information or specific behaviors. The theory seems suggest distinct stages of development, marked by qualitative variances, rather than a regular increase in number and complexity of behaviors, concepts, and ideas (Atherton J S).
Jean Piaget’s cognitive development theory is focused on the belief that development precedes learning, specifically upon individual development of one’s knowledge through independent learning and experiences (Lourenco, 2012). Piaget’s theory discusses how an individual’s surroundings affect their development resulting in a series of changes in the understandings of their environment.
Vygotsky, L. Mind in Society: The Development of Higher Psychological Processes. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1978
In terms of the cognitive development perspective, Swiss Psychologist Jean Piaget, was extremely interested in how children acquire knowledge and come to understand their world and his theories form the basis of the cognitive approach (Joyce and Weil, 1996; Heo et al., 2011). Piaget asserts that “language is a product of intelligence, rather than intelligence being a product of language” (Piaget, 1929) and he explains children 's language acquisition by using four stages of cognitive development and his theories offer a crucial theoretical basis in terms of intellectual maturation (Heo et al., 2011). Piaget contends that children form schema, or cognitive structures, through which individuals
Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher mental process. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Vygotsky, L. (1978). Mind In Society:the development of higher psychological processes. Cambridge, Ma: Harvard University Press.
One hundred years ago, Jean Piaget (1896-1980) was a young man developing new insights about learning. He was one of a handful of constructivist-minded writers and educational theorists of the time. Learning theories open educators up to new ideas. They are necessary to expand our knowledge of how learning works. Piaget’s work is a well-tested and educators around the world should be aware of Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive development in particular because it will improve the quality of their teaching. Once a teacher knows this theory, they can plan lessons appropriate to their students’ cognitive ability and build upon students’ earlier knowledge in a constructivist way.
Lutz, S., & Huitt, W. (2004). Connecting cognitive development and constructivism: Implications from theory for instruction and assessment. Constructivism in the Human Sciences, 9(1), 67-90. Retreived from: http://www.teach.valdosta.edu/whuitt/brilstar/chapters/cogdev.doc