Children’s Cognitive Development: Children’s Cognitive Development: Alternatives to PiagetAlternatives to Piaget

Outline:Outline:

Brief review of Piaget’s theoryBrief review of Piaget’s theory

The role of culture - implications for Piaget’s theoryThe role of culture - implications for Piaget’s theory

The theory of VygotskyThe theory of Vygotsky

The theory of Bruner (see intranet)The theory of Bruner (see intranet)

Stage theory of development - older children think qualitatively Stage theory of development - older children think qualitatively differently to younger children. In other words, at each successive differently to younger children. In other words, at each successive stage, it's not just a matter of doing something better, but of doing a stage, it's not just a matter of doing something better, but of doing a different thing altogether. different thing altogether.

4 stages:4 stages:

– Stage 1: Sensorimoter Period (0-2 years) Stage 1: Sensorimoter Period (0-2 years)

– Stage 2: Pre-operational stage (2-7 years)Stage 2: Pre-operational stage (2-7 years)

– Stage 3: Concrete Operational Stage (7-11 years)Stage 3: Concrete Operational Stage (7-11 years)

– Stage 4: Formal Operational Stage (11+ years)Stage 4: Formal Operational Stage (11+ years)

Development is the combined result of:Development is the combined result of:

– maturationmaturation of the brain and nervous system of the brain and nervous system

– experiences that help children experiences that help children adaptadapt to new environments - to new environments - adaptation:adaptation: an organism’s ability to fit in with it’s environment an organism’s ability to fit in with it’s environment (through the process of assimilation and accommodation).(through the process of assimilation and accommodation).

Summary of PiagetSummary of Piaget

Assimilation and AccomodationAssimilation and Accomodation

Example of AssimilationExample of Assimilation A 2 year old child sees a man who is bald on top of his head A 2 year old child sees a man who is bald on top of his head

and has long frizzy hair on the sides. To his father’s horror, the and has long frizzy hair on the sides. To his father’s horror, the toddler shouts “Clown, clown” (Sigler et al., 2003).toddler shouts “Clown, clown” (Sigler et al., 2003).

Example of AccommodationExample of Accommodation In the “clown” incident, the boy’s father explained to his son In the “clown” incident, the boy’s father explained to his son

that the man was not a clown and that even though his hair that the man was not a clown and that even though his hair was like a clown’s, he wasn’t wearing a funny costume and was like a clown’s, he wasn’t wearing a funny costume and wasn’t doing silly things to make people laughwasn’t doing silly things to make people laugh

With this new knowledge, the boy was able to change his With this new knowledge, the boy was able to change his schema of “clown” and make this idea fit better to a standard schema of “clown” and make this idea fit better to a standard concept of “clown”.concept of “clown”.

According to Piaget, teaching can support these According to Piaget, teaching can support these developmental processes bydevelopmental processes by

Criticisms of PiagetCriticisms of Piaget

Underestimated the ability of childrenUnderestimated the ability of children

» Tasks were Tasks were methodologically flawedmethodologically flawed. . As several studies As several studies have shown Piaget underestimated the abilities of children have shown Piaget underestimated the abilities of children because his tests were sometimes confusing or difficult to because his tests were sometimes confusing or difficult to understand. understand.

Underestimated the impact of CULTURE:Underestimated the impact of CULTURE:

» Piaget’s tasks are Piaget’s tasks are culturally biasedculturally biased

» Schooling and literacy affect rates of developmentSchooling and literacy affect rates of development e.g. Greenfield’s study of the Wolofe.g. Greenfield’s study of the Wolof

» Formal operational thinking is not universalFormal operational thinking is not universal e.g. Gladwin’s study of the Polynesian islanderse.g. Gladwin’s study of the Polynesian islanders

Criticisms of PiagetCriticisms of Piaget

Methodological issuesMethodological issues

» Piaget used Piaget used naturalistic observationsnaturalistic observations of his own children of his own children when they were only a few weeks old.when they were only a few weeks old.

» The tendency for observers to be The tendency for observers to be biasedbiased can be counteracted can be counteracted by using two or more observers (re: inter-observer reliability), by using two or more observers (re: inter-observer reliability), but Piaget observed and made notes alone. but Piaget observed and made notes alone.

» GeneralisationsGeneralisations should not be made from research such as should not be made from research such as this, but Piaget did this, but Piaget did generalisegeneralise and many of his ideas on and many of his ideas on sensori-motor and pre-operational stages are based on these sensori-motor and pre-operational stages are based on these observations.observations.

• Because Piaget concentrated on the individual child, he failed to Because Piaget concentrated on the individual child, he failed to consider the effect that the social setting may have on cognitive consider the effect that the social setting may have on cognitive development. development.

• The way that adults use language and gestures and the child's The way that adults use language and gestures and the child's experience through social interactions are very influential on cognitive experience through social interactions are very influential on cognitive development (re: Vygotsky).development (re: Vygotsky).

Lev VygotskyLev Vygotsky

Lev VygotskyLev Vygotsky

1896 - 19341896 - 1934

Work remained little known because it was banned by Stalin after Work remained little known because it was banned by Stalin after Vygotsky’s deathVygotsky’s death

Collapse of the Soviet Union meant:Collapse of the Soviet Union meant:

– greater dialogue between the West and Russiagreater dialogue between the West and Russia

– Vygotsky’s work translated into EnglishVygotsky’s work translated into English

VygotskyVygotsky’s Main Ideas’s Main Ideas

Vygotsky is credited with developing the concept of Social Vygotsky is credited with developing the concept of Social Cognition Cognition

(aka Social Development Theory of Learning), which proposes (aka Social Development Theory of Learning), which proposes that: that:

Social Interaction and Social Interaction and cultureculture has a dramatic impact on has a dramatic impact on cognitive development. cognitive development.

Cognitive processes (language, thought, reasoning) Cognitive processes (language, thought, reasoning) develop through social interaction.develop through social interaction.

Learning is largely mediated by social interaction of Learning is largely mediated by social interaction of students and "More Knowledgeable Others" (e.g. students and "More Knowledgeable Others" (e.g. teachers, parents, coaches, peers, experts, etc.) teachers, parents, coaches, peers, experts, etc.)

Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)

Vygotsky centred much of his research on a phenomenon he Vygotsky centred much of his research on a phenomenon he coined as "the Zone of Proximal Development," or ZPD. coined as "the Zone of Proximal Development," or ZPD.

Vygotsky stated: Vygotsky stated:

““The zone of proximal development defines those The zone of proximal development defines those functions that have not yet matured, but are in the functions that have not yet matured, but are in the

process (of doing so)process (of doing so)…”…”

“…“…what is the zone of proximal development today will what is the zone of proximal development today will be the actual development level tomorrow be the actual development level tomorrow –– that is, that is, what a child can do with assistance toady she will what a child can do with assistance toady she will

be able to do by herself tomorrowbe able to do by herself tomorrow””..

Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)

In this case “In this case “proximalproximal” means what comes next. ” means what comes next.

The idea is that a child is only able to take the next step in The idea is that a child is only able to take the next step in their cognitive development if another person – typically an their cognitive development if another person – typically an adult – supports and prompts them to do so. adult – supports and prompts them to do so.

This sort of assistance has been called This sort of assistance has been called scaffoldingscaffolding. .

ScaffoldingScaffolding

Wood, Bruner, and Ross (1976) developed Vygotsky’s notion Wood, Bruner, and Ross (1976) developed Vygotsky’s notion of a zone of proximal development. of a zone of proximal development.

They introduced the concept of They introduced the concept of scaffoldingscaffolding, which refers to the , which refers to the context provided by knowledgeable people such as adults to context provided by knowledgeable people such as adults to help children to develop their cognitive skills. help children to develop their cognitive skills.

An important aspect of scaffolding is that there is a gradual An important aspect of scaffolding is that there is a gradual withdrawal of support as the child’s knowledge and withdrawal of support as the child’s knowledge and confidence increase.confidence increase.

Left to his own devices, could this boy make his sister a birthday Left to his own devices, could this boy make his sister a birthday cake? cake?

His mother uses scaffolding to create a situation in which he can His mother uses scaffolding to create a situation in which he can begin to move into a zone of proximal development.begin to move into a zone of proximal development.

Scaffolding ExampleScaffolding Example

Differences between Piaget and VygotskyDifferences between Piaget and Vygotsky

Source of cognitive development Source of cognitive development

Piaget believed that the most important source of cognition is Piaget believed that the most important source of cognition is the children themselves. the children themselves. Piaget emphasised the role of an Piaget emphasised the role of an inbuilt (biological) tendency to adapt to the environment, by a inbuilt (biological) tendency to adapt to the environment, by a process of process of self-discoveryself-discovery and play. and play.

Vygotsky emphasised the role of Vygotsky emphasised the role of culture and experienceculture and experience. . Vygotsky believed that what drives cognitive development is Vygotsky believed that what drives cognitive development is social interaction – a child’s experience with other people. social interaction – a child’s experience with other people. Culture shapes cognition. Culture shapes cognition.

Differences between Piaget and VygotskyDifferences between Piaget and Vygotsky

Language and ThoughtLanguage and Thought

For Piaget, language is a product of cognitive development. In For Piaget, language is a product of cognitive development. In other words, cognitive development (IV) determines language other words, cognitive development (IV) determines language use (DV).use (DV).

Vygotsky believed that language develops from social Vygotsky believed that language develops from social interactions, for communication purposes. Later language interactions, for communication purposes. Later language ability becomes internalised as thought and “inner speech”. ability becomes internalised as thought and “inner speech”. Thought is the result of language. Thought is the result of language.

In other words, social interactions (IV) determines language In other words, social interactions (IV) determines language use (DV).use (DV).

Differences between Piaget and VygotskyDifferences between Piaget and Vygotsky

Stage TheoryStage Theory

Piaget emphasised universal cognitive change. Piaget emphasised universal cognitive change.

Vygotsky’s theory can be applied to all ages (not a stage Vygotsky’s theory can be applied to all ages (not a stage theory) and emphasised individual development. theory) and emphasised individual development.

Discovery Learning (Education)Discovery Learning (Education)

Piaget advocated for discovery learning with little teacher Piaget advocated for discovery learning with little teacher intervention. intervention.

Vygotsky promoted guided discovery in the classroom with the Vygotsky promoted guided discovery in the classroom with the help of a MKO. help of a MKO.