psychlotron org uk What does Piaget tell us

psychlotron. org. uk What does Piaget tell us about how children’s cognitive abilities develop?

According to Piaget psychlotron. org. uk • Children are little scientists who develop cognitively by acquiring schemas about the world through discovery learning • To what extent do you agree with this view?

psychlotron. org. uk • Are there things a child needs to learn about the world that cannot simply be discovered?

Today’s session You are learning to. . . • Compare and contrast theories • Use research to evaluate theories psychlotron. org. uk You are learning about. . . • Lev Vygotsky’s theory of cognitive development

• Russian psychologist, contemporary of Piaget but his work not published in English until after his death in 1934 • Believed that Piaget ignored the role of culture on cognitive development psychlotron. org. uk Lev Vygotsky

Vygotsky & Piaget – The nature of developmental change – The experiences that lead to development – How children acquire knowledge – The relationship between learning and development psychlotron. org. uk • Watch the clip and decide whether Piaget and Vygotsky would agree or disagree on the following issues.

psychlotron. org. uk Vygotsky & Piaget

Vygotsky & Piaget • Do Vygotsky & Piaget agree on. . . psychlotron. org. uk – The nature of developmental change – The experiences that lead to development – How children acquire knowledge – The relationship between learning and development

Similarities • V & P agree that. . . psychlotron. org. uk – Children actively construct their own knowledge of the world, they don’t just absorb experiences – Cognitive development involves qualitative changes in thinking; it isn’t just a matter of learning more things.

Differences – Piaget emphasises the child’s interactions with physical objects, Vygotsky emphasises interactions with people – Piaget says that development precedes learning – children can’t learn certain things until they are ready. Vygotsky says that learning can drive development – so there aren’t universal stages of development in the Piagetian sense psychlotron. org. uk • V & P disagree on. . .

Zone of proximal development • Watch the clip and look out for these. . . psychlotron. org. uk – What is the ZPD? – How does it relate to the child’s development – What role do other people play?

psychlotron. org. uk

Zone of proximal development Level of assisted performance Zone of proximal development psychlotron. org. uk Level of unassisted performance

Language • One way that others equip the child with strategies for thinking is through language • Vygotsky gives language a central role in thinking Early language Verbal thought and rational speech psychlotron. org. uk Pre-verbal thought

Evidence psychlotron. org. uk • Wood et al (1976) • Ruffman et al (1998) • Bruner (1966)

Homework • Think about your recent learning experiences and those you have in the next few days. psychlotron. org. uk – When have you been pushed into your ZPD? – How and by whom? – What strategies were used to increase your level of unassisted performance?