Cognitive Development Theories by Michelle P. Bacares

Introduction

Cognitive development theory explains how humans obtain and construct knowledge of themselves and their planet. The theory of cognitive development was first proposed by Jean Piaget, however there are other major theoretical approaches to cognitive development, as well as those of Vygotsky. Piaget approached the subject from a biological and life perspective, while Vygotsky approached the subject from an environmental and culture perspective.

          Piaget’s theory focuses on intelligence and how it changes as children grow up. While, Vygotsky’s theory centers on the social action and he defines intelligence as the capacity to learn from teaching. We will also look at the impact both Piaget and Vygotsky’s theories have had on education and how they have been applied to education. Piaget’s theory is about child intellectual development and the gaining of knowledge. While Vygotsky’s main theory was how culture influence development, through language and the society.

 

Task

Task 1

1. Go to this link to see the four stages in Piaget’s theory of how children learn:https://www.verywellmind.com/piagets-stages-of-cognitive-development-27…

2. Think about a child in the pre-operational stage. As you are playing with play dough, you take the same amount of play dough, divide it into two equal amounts, and put it in piles like this:

Play dough #1Play dough #1https://pastrieslikeapro.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Kneaded-1-of-1…

Play dough #2 https://pastrieslikeapro.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Dough-in-quarte…

Which pile of dough will the pre-operational child say has “more”?_________

What process in the pre-operational stage does this give an example of?

When you give a pre-operational child money in coins, how will they decide which is more money?

What level of operation would a child need to be at to solve a geometry problem?

What level of operation would a child need to be at to solve an addition problem?

Task 2

1. What is the difference between actual developmental level and potential developmental level?

2. Define scaffolding:

https://www.hasdk12.org/cms/lib/PA01001366/Centricity/Domain/820/Theori…

Process

Step 1: First you need to go to the link provided for you to know the different stages of Cognitive development of jean Piaget.

Step 2: After you comprehend or learned the four stages of Jean Piaget, you will now answer the item number two where you will answer the questions written base from your learning in the pre-operational stage cognitive development of a child.

Step 3: For you to be able to answer the following questions in Task 2, you should go to this link: https://www.scarymommy.com/vygotsky-theory/amp

Evaluation

Test 1: IDENTIFICATION

Direction: Identify whether given questions is for Jean Piaget or Lev Vygostky

_______1. Theorist who said that all children go through 4 stages of learning

_______2. Theorist who says that culture has a great affect on children's learning.

_______3. His theory says that thinking patterns are products of our interaction in cultural situations and other social activities.

_______4. Theorist who says that children learn as they use tools taught through social interactions, such as language, counting systems, etc.

_______5. His theory says that from birth to age 2, a child learns through his senses and gains motor control.

Test 2: ESSAY

Direction: Answer the following questions.

1. Differentiate Jean’s Piaget and Lev Vygostky cognitive development of theory.

2. What are the impact of Piaget and Vygotsky’s theories on education and how they have been applied to education?

Conclusion

Regarding the two cognitive theories, I think Vygotskian principles are the most appropriate to apply in a classroom. Principles such as scaffolding, co-constructed knowledge, dialogue, and cultural tools are all important components of a student’s knowledge acquisition. By helping students within their zone of proximal development, we offer them useful learning strategies which they internalize and utilize later. Piaget proposed many applicable educational strategies, such as discovery learning with an emphasis on activity and play. However, Vygotsky incorporated the importance of social interactions and a co-constructed knowledge base to the theory of cognitive development.

         In conclusion, a teacher’s focus should be to provide assistance to students in need, and provide cultural tools as educational resources. Teachers should provide for group and peer learning, in order for students to support each other through the discovery process. Especially in today’s diverse classroom, the teacher needs to be sensitive to her student’s cultural background and language, and be an active participant in his knowledge construction.

Credits