Theorists Flashcards
(theory, strengths/weakness/application, domains)
Piaget
Theory of Cognitive Development
What is Piaget’s theory?
- Suggests that children move through 4 different stages of intellectual development which reflect the increasing sophistication of childrens thought’s.
- Cog dev result from interplay between innate capabilities (Nature) and environmental influences (Nurture)
- 4 distincive syages each presenting varying cog abilities and world comprehension
- Develop or contruct a mental model of the world; schema.
- Piaget emphasized the role of active exploration and interaction with the environment; assimilation and accomodation in contrusting mental schemas.
Schema
Scehmas are frameworks that develop to help organize knowlegde.
Assimilation - Procces of taking new information or a new epereince and FITTING it into an akready existing schema.
Accomodation - Procces by which existing schemas are change or new schemas are CREATED in order to fit new information.
Equilibrium - When our existing schemas can explain what we percieve around us. To use existing schemas to organise new information.
Disequilibrium - However, when we meet a new situation that we cannot explain it creates disequilibrium. A state of cognitive imbalance. Unable to use an existing schema to understand new information.
Schema Example
e.g. 2yr old learns the schema for “dog” from pricture books -> kid sees a cat and calls it a “dog”. She is trying to assimilate this new animals into an already existing schema. Mum tells her its not a dog but cat. -> Kid accomodates her schema for a -legged animal and contiunues to modify schema to indlude different breeds in neighbourhood.
Sensorimotor stage
Simple Reflexes (0-1months) -> understands environment thru inborn reflexes
e.g. sucking and looking
Primary circular reactions (1-4months) -> coordinating sensations + new schema. Repeatead for pleasure.
e.g. sucking thumb on accident and then later intentionally repeat the action
Secondary Circular reaction (4-8months) -> begins to intentionally repear and action to trigger a response.
e.g. purposefully pick up toy in order to put in mouth
Coordination of reactions (8-12months) -> show clear intentional actions + combine schemas to achieve desired effect.
e.g. Realize rattle will make sound when shaken.
Tertiary Circular reactions (12-18months) -> period of trial-and-error experimentation
e.g. child try out different sounds or action to get attention
Early symbolic thought (18-24months) -> ability to visualise things that are not phycially present + develop object permanance
e.g. Repeating an sweeping action with a broom after watching someone sweep the floor.
List of Sensorimotor Stage
1) Simple Reflexes (0-1months)
2) Primary Circular Reactions (1-4 months)
3) Secondary Circular Reactions (4-8 months)
4) Coordination of Reactions (8-12 months)
5) Tertiary Circular Reactions (12-18 months)
6) Early symbolic Thought (18-24 months)
Stages
- Sensorimotor Stage (0-2 years):
* Peek-a-boo: Helps with object permanence. - Preoperational Stage (2-7 years):
* Role Playing + Pretend Play: Let children act out roles or stories that enhance symbolic thinking. Encourage symbolic play with dress-up clothes, playsets, or toy cash registers. Provide prompts or scenarios to extend their imagination.
* Story Sequencing: Give children cards with parts of a story and have them arranged in the correct order. - Concrete Operational Stage (7-11 years):
* Logical Puzzle Games: Games that involve problem-solving using logic, such as simple Sudoku puzzles or logic grid puzzles. - Formal Operational Stage (11 years and older):
Debate and Discussion: Provide a topic and let students debate on pros and cons. This promotes abstract thinking and logical reasoning.
Test for Object Permanence
Object Permanence Observation: (Sensorimotor Stage (0-2 years)
Piaget’s theory emphasizes the development of object permanence, the understanding that objects continue to exist even when they are out of sight. For instance, the student can play a game of hide-and-seek with objects (such as a toy or a ball) and observe the child’s reactions. Younger children (around 8-10 months old) may show surprise or confusion when an object disappears, whereas older children (around 18-24 months old) should actively search for the hidden object, demonstrating their understanding of object permanence. Stage 1 Sensori Motor.
Test for Egocentrism
Egocentrism Test: Preoperational Stage (2-7 years)
Piaget’s theory highlights the concept of egocentrism, where young children have difficulty understanding other people’s perspectives or viewpoints. For example, the student can show children pictures or objects from different angles and ask them to describe what they see. Younger children (around 4-6 years old (while in Stage 2 Preconceptual thinking) may struggle to describe the object or picture from a different person’s point of view, focusing solely on their own perspective. In contrast, older children (around 7-11 years old Stage 3 Concrete operations) should demonstrate a better ability to consider multiple perspectives.
Test for Conservation
Conservation Test: (Stage 3 Concrete operations, 7 -11yrs).
Piaget’s conservation tasks assess a child’s understanding of conservation, which is the understanding that certain properties of objects, such as volume or quantity, remain the same despite changes in appearance. For example, the student can use two identical glasses filled with the same amount of water and pour the water from one glass into a taller, narrower glass. The student can then ask children of different ages if the amount of water remains the same or if it has changed. Piaget’s theory suggests that younger children may struggle with conservation tasks (2-7rys), OR older children (around 8-12 years old) should demonstrate a more developed understanding.
Strength - Piaget
- Acknowledges both biological and environmental factors for a well-rounded view of development (nature + nurture)
- Even though there’s stages, Piaget still acknowledges that each child develops when they are ready/in their own time
Weakness - Piaget
- Lack of cultural consideration - research conducted on the richer population
- Bias experiment body - on his own kids, kids from a higher socio-economic status
- Didn’t do many tests and so his theory isn’t backed
Application - Piaget
In the Classrooms
- Sensory-Motor Stage (0-2 years): focus on hands-on experiences and sensory exploration.. Encourage movement and play-based learning.
- Preoperational Stage (2-7 years): Recognize that students in this stage may struggle with abstract thinking. Use concrete examples and visual aids to explain concepts. Encourage imaginative play and storytelling to stimulate their developing symbolic thinking.
- Concrete Operational Stage (7-11 years): Offer hands-on activities and real-world ex\amples to help students grasp abstract concepts. Allow for discussion to promote social learning and problem solving.
Formal Operational Stage (11 years and older): Challenge students with abstract and hypothetical scenarios. Promote critical thinking through debates, projects, and open-ended questions.
As a carer
- By understanding his theory, the parents could provide a nurturing environment that meets their needs
- Provide play provocations/ safe nurturing environment which stimulate the five senses
Comparison list - Piaget
- Discontinuous - ages and stages
- Developmental outcomes - cognitive attributions
- Influence on development - environmental, biological
- Testing theory - conducted tests and experiments to test how children react in certain ages and stages, HOWEVER WAS BAIS.
- Cultural adaptability - NO cultural influence or adaptable to.
- Type of approach - focused primarily on childhood and how the child interacts + develops there
Vygotsky Theory
Theory of Sociocultural Development
What is Vygotsky’s Theory?
Vygotsky’s theory of sociocultural development emphasizes that social and cultural experiences and interactions shape cognitive development. Children acquire a sequence of skills and competencies (abilities) beginning with language. Learning is achieved through social interaction. Carers interact with infants and they unconsciously structure the baby’s experiences in ways that reflect their own social, cultural and historical background.
3 types of speech
Egocentric 0-3yrs
Where a child uses speech to communicate with others. Express simple thoughts and emotions such as crying, laughter and shouting. Not related to intellect or thinking
E.g. “I want milk.” “Pick me up.”
External 3-7yrs
Children often talk to themselves as thought and language become more intertwined. Say things out loud in an attempt to guide their own behaviour
E.g. A child solving a puzzle and saying to themselves “I need to find a corner piece”
Inner Speech 7+ yrs
Inner, soundless speech. Used by older children and adults. Allows us to direct our thinking and behaviour. Also engages in all forms of higher mental functions (eg memory, attention, perception) In this stage one is able to count in one’s head for
6 assumptions
- Adults convey to children the way their culture interprets and responds to the world.
2.Thought and language become increasingly independent in the first few years of life.
3.Complex Mental Processes begin as social activities.
4.Children can perform more challenging tasks when assisted by more advanced and competent individuals (More Knowledgeable Other - MKO)
*Actual Development – upper limit to what the child can do individually
*Level of Potential Development – upper limit of tasks a child can perform with assistance of more competent individuals
5.Challenging tasks promote maximum cognitive growth (ZPD)
The ‘Zone of Proximal development’ is the distance between children’s current level of competence on a task and the level they can achieve with help, support and guidance. This is the zone where students are guided and assisted by teachers to achieving higher levels of understanding of concepts or greater independence. This will challenge students to achieve new areas of knowledge
6.Play allows children to stretch themselves cognitively
Language
Important mental tool.
· It has a social function of providing a means for interacting with others.
· It also provides a means of transmitting information from adults to children.
As language skills ↑, it begins to serve an intellectual function. It becomes a tool for problem solving and self-regulation. There is a shift from using external devices for problems solving like counting out aloud and on fingers, to internalised speech (in the head) or private speech to guide their thinking and actions.
More Knowledgeable Other
The ‘more knowledgeable other’ – refers to another person with a higher level of understanding than the student, who passes on knowledge by tutoring or coaching them.
Scaffolding
Scaffolding - refers to the support given when learning to master a new concept. This assists and guides the child until they are independent enough to master the concept themselves and then the scaffolding is taken away.
