Cognitive development & education Flashcards
Define cognitive development
study of how mental activities develop
= understanding number
= understanding language
= thinking ability
Piaget’s stages of cognitive development
Sensorimotor stage (0-2yrs)
- learning to co-ordinate bodies
Pre-operational stage (2-7yrs)
- language enables to interpret world in symbolic thought (concepts)
- can’t grasp logical rules - egocentric (only see from their perspective)
Concrete operational stage (7-11yrs)
- apply logic to physical situations, understanding numbers
- no abstract thinking (syllogisms)
Formal operational stage (11yrs+)
- understand abstract thinking + develop system of values
BACKGROUND
- sample of piaget
Primary school children in Geneva of different ages (3-11yrs) + his own children
Small sample
BACKGROUND
- findings of piaget
- children in pre-operational stage say stretched row had more counters as its longer, but concrete said the same amount
Children’s thinking develops in stages and that order can’t be changed
Children should be taught things when they are ready, this is determined by stage of cognitive development (readiness concept)
The speed with children proceed trough stages depends on enviro eg. school
BACKGROUND - Piaget
- reliability
- validity
- sampling bias
HIGH RELIABILITY
- lab experiment with standardised procedure
- all children shown same parallel rows of counters + same questions
LOW VALIDITY
- asked questions twice meaning they are wrong
- lack mundane realism
- 60% of pre-operational stage were still correct > incorrect conclusions
SAMPLING BIAS
- small sample of children, one culture, Switzerland
Application of piaget
Discovery theory
- learner should discover knowledge for themselves rather than passively fed it
- teacher facilitate students learning by providing enviro with activities that enable them to learn
- curriculum should be based on child’s age
BACKGROUND
- Freund sample
- Freund findings
Sample = 3-5yr olds, USA, Middle Class
Children assisted by their mother performed better on the furniture sorting than the children who worked independently
BACKGROUND
- Vygotsky’s theory
Believed social interaction can help children learn (learn from tools in culture)
More knowledgeable others at higher stage of thinking can help us move through zone of proximal development
Zone of proximal development - different between what a child can learn through interaction with others
BACKGROUNF
- Freund reliability + validity
RELIABILITY
- standardised procedure
- same instructions to help puppet sort the furniture
VALIDITY
- high ecological validity
- realistic play activity - putting furniture in doll house
Application of Vygotsky in Education
Role of teacher - teacher should actively intervene to help child understand
> main person in pupils zone of proximal development
Scaffolding in classroom - other people can advance child’s thinking by providing framework which can help child climb + achieve
> lesson, showing, examples + talk through, then ask to do on their own
KEY RESEARCH - Wood et el
Aim
too see if tutoring can help children solve a problem and how this is different across age groups
KEY RESEARCH - Wood et el
Sample
30 children from USA, mostly middle class
Self-selected sampling via advertisement
3,4,5 yrs old, equal mix of boys and girls
KEY RESEARCH - Wood et el
Procedure
The children were observed as they tried to build a pyramid with guidance from a tutor
The observations were video-taped and two researches scored behaviours eg. if assembled blocks unassisted
To start tutor gave standardised instructions and showed each child how to put pair of blocks together
The child then had to try to construct the pyramid
KEY RESEARCH - Wood et el
Results
75% of the 5 yr old could pair blocks together unassisted whereas 50% of 4yr olds could, 10% 3 yr olds
The younger children needed more tutorial help
KEY RESEARCH - Wood et el
Conclusions
Younger children need more scaffolding
The tutor has different roles depending on the age of the children
