Vygotsky - Role of Adults

Question 1

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Answer 1

ROLE OF ADULTS IN COG DEV

• cog growth facilitated by social interactions, especially adult role models
• begin in ZPD where child can’t complete tasks alone and must be guided by skilled partner until techniques internalised
• this partner known as MKO who has better understanding/high ability than learner in a certain task
• these individuals enable scaffolding (MKO tailors the support they provide to the new learner so that they can gradually increase their understanding
• so, potential of individuals learning during collaboration is more significant than what they learn independently

Question 2

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Answer 2

EVIDENCE

• DAMAST+BORNSTEIN reported young children who interact with core skilled partner who structured situation appropriately advanced skills faster than those who lack support
• Furthermore, BORNSTEINS review of parent play literature found that mothers appear to adjust to their levels of interaction with children to maximised their participant
• evidences assumptions of ZPD and scaffolding strategies to aid cog dev

Question 3

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Answer 3

NOT JUST ADULTS

• older children can take on role to foster cog dev
• WEISNER+GALLIMORE survey of child rearing practices in 186 societies = older children principal caregivers in 57% groups
• serving as teachers or support systems
• become MKO as they have higher levels of
  understanding
• suggests adults not significant, perhaps it is just the role of social interactions and infants internalisation of these processes

Question 4

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Answer 4

NOT UNIVERSAL

• role of adults suggested to be universal across cultures

E.g mothers aid symbolic play by acting as expert associates

• BUT, mother play not seen in all cultures
• HAIGHT: Chinese children more likely to engage in pretend play with caregivers than other children but opposite for Irish children
• weakened validity as role of adults not emphasised in all cultures like vygotsky argued

Question 5

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Answer 5

HIGH PRACTICAL APPLICATION

• educational systems shift to constructivist principles
• WEEGAR 2012 reciprocal teaching introduced to improve child’s ability to learn from text
• teachers and students collaborate in learning skills of summarising questioning etc
• teachers role reduced over time introducing concept of scaffolding to increase child’s internalisation of strategies
• GOKHALE found students who participated performed better on critical thinking test than rhose who studied independently

Question 6

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Answer 6

RESTRICTED APPLICATION

However it must be taken into account that this approach may be better suited in a collectivist context as shared learning is basis of such cultures.

Whilst still possible in individualist cultures, it may be less effective as children are encouraged to be self reliant and competitive.

STIGLER found in competing Asian and American schools that the former were less effectively taught using group work than the other