How do children learn?

Jean Piaget (1896-1980)-Swiss psychologist

-Hypothesized natural cognitive “growth spurts” at ~18 mo, 6 years, and 12 years of age.

-Developed a stage theory Sensorimotor (0-2)Preoperational (2-6)Concrete operational (6-12)Formal operational (>12)

-Cognitive constructionism (to explain learning within a stage)

-Child forms a schema

-Child exposed to experience that conflicts with schema

-Child assimilates or accommodates

Cognitive constructionism

• Schema – a concept or framework for organizing information

• Cognitive dissonance – discomfort felt when holding two conflicting thoughts

• Assimilation – maintaining your schema; forcing new experience into the existing schema

• Accomodation – changing your schema to incorporate new experience

Cognitive constructivism

• Schema – gravity will pull the hammer down because it is heavy

• New experience – hammer balances– Causes cognitive dissonance

• Assimilate – “it’s an illusion”, “she used magnets”, “she’s a witch”

• Accommodate – if balanced properly, the hammer can be supported

According to Piaget

• 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?

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

Lev Vygotsky

• Russian psychologist, contemporary of Piaget but his work not published in English until much later (1970’s)

• Focused on the role of culture on cognitive development

Vygotsky’s Theory

• Cognitive development = active internalization of problem-solving processes as a result of interaction with others (“social constructivism”)– ie, learning is ACTIVE, SOCIAL, and CREATIVE

(ASC, sound familiar?)• Children learn how to think through their

interactions with others• Where Piaget saw the child as a scientist,

Vygotsky saw the child as an apprentice

Zone of Proximal Development

• In one of your subjects/hobbies/interests, think of…– One thing you can do well on your own– One thing you can do if someone helps you– One thing you can’t do at all

Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)

• The gap between what a child can do on their own and what a child can do with support

• The child will not be able to take the next step in their development unless they are supported in the ZPD

• This support is known as scaffolding and is seen as the main role of adults/teachers

Zone of Proximal Development

• Vygotsky’s view:“…what a child can do with assistance today

she will be able to do by herself tomorrow.” (Vygotsky, 1978)

• Contrast with Piaget:“Every time we teach a child something, we

keep him from inventing it himself. On the other hand, that which we allow him to discover for himself will remain with him visible for the rest of his life.” (Piaget, in Piers, 1972)