Cognitive Learning TheoriesCognitive Learning TheoriesDr Mesake. R. Dakuidreketi 2009

Lecture Outline: Vygotsky’s theory of learning Learning and development: Implications of

Vygotsky’s Theory for Teachers Strengths & Limitations of Vygotsky’s

Theory

Tutorial questionsTutorial questions What are Vygotsky’s three main theoretical

assumptions? What is considered as being important when

discussing the ZPD? How does Vygotsky explain the role of social

interaction in children’s development ? How are Vygotsky’s concepts of ZPD, scaffolding,

and the role of language useful in teaching and learning?

How does Vygotsky’s theory fit in with your understanding of learning in the South Pacific?

Vygotsky’s Socio-cultural Theory of DevelopmentVygotsky’s Socio-cultural Theory of Development

• Like Piaget, Vygotsky also recognised that children’s thinking is different to adults

• He noticed that children begin learning from: – people around them– Their social world

• He believed that:– our social world – source of all our concepts, ideas, facts, skills

and attitude– All personal psychological processes begin as social processes

shared among people.• Example: Language, what we find funny or sad, what we worry about &

how we describe or classify objects.• Language- not just how we talk but ways of seeing the world.• This becomes obvious if we realise there are some things we can say in one

language but not in another.

Vygotsky’s Socio-cultural Theory of DevelopmentVygotsky’s Socio-cultural Theory of Development

The social sources of individual thinking:

The dual processes of cognitive development: Cultural tools and cognitive development:

Tools are selective and from a particular culture The role of semiotic signs and private speech:

Verbal discourse and signs use to share and negotiate meaning

Vygotsky’s Theoretical Ideas

• Three major components that influence our cognitive development:

1. The development of cognitive skills2. The origins in our social and culture3. The mediating role of language and cultural

tools

Vygotsky’s Theoretical Ideas Cont…

1. The development of cognitive skills:According to him:-

• we must examine a person’s cognitive skills from a developmental perspectives.

– What this means: Everything in life cannot be looked from one time point. • E.g. how we form our language – we were not born with

the language skill to communicate but we learn it for a period of time.

– Skills such as language exists in ‘stages’

Vygotsky’s Theoretical Ideas Cont…

2. The origins in our social and culture– According to Vygotsky:-

• Everything in life is derived from the environment• Your ‘intelligence’ or where you are socially in

society is determined by the environment• Why?

– Vygotsky believes that our cognitive ability depends very much on the society & culture that we come from at large (not so much on our genetic makeup, although this helps)

• His assumptions: ‘every function in a child’s cultural development appears twice:– First on the social level (between people –

interpsychological ) & later on the individual level (inside the child – intrapsychological process).

Vygotsky’s Theoretical Ideas Cont…

• 3. The mediating role of language and cultural tools

Things which support our learning & cognitive development:– Cultural tools

• (e.g. computers, • internet, • symbolic tools: numbers, maps, signs, codes etc

– Language :• Used by us to express ideas, feelings & negotiate meaning• Serves to help us regulate our behaviour and thinking

Cultural tools may include: (1) Real tools - cell phones, computers, Internet, and (2) symbolic tools – numbers, maps, signs and codes, sign language

Cultural tools and DevelopmentCultural tools and Development Tools provided by culture support thinking Higher-order mental processes (e.g., reasoning,

problem solving) are mediated by psychological tools (language, signs, symbols)

Role of Language and Private Speech Role of Language and Private Speech Language is used as a means for expressing ideas

and asking questions, and to help us link the past and the future

Language exists in stages:

1. Social communication (Adult-Child)

2. Social communication (Child-Child)

3. Private speech → Self-talk

4. Inner silent speech

Implications of Vygotsky’s Theory for Teachers

• Three ways that important ideas and knowledge in a culture can be passed from one individual to another:

1. Imitative learning2. Instructed Learning3. Zone of Proximal Development

Implications of Vygotsky’s Theory for Teachers Cont..

1. Imitative learning: - One person tries to imitate the other

2. Instructed Learning: - Learners internalised the instructions of the teacher and use this to control their learning

– Vygotsky thought – through instruction (from adults), children would develop the skills associated with living successfully in the culture

3. Zone of Proximal Development: - The difference between the child’s level of performance when they do not receive any help and their level of performance when a more capable person provides help

Development of LearningDevelopment of LearningTwo basic concepts used to explain development:

1. Zone of proximal development (ZPD)

2. Scaffolding - the flexible support provided by the more capable person so that the child acquires new skills.

Poor

Excellent

Level of performance

Unassisted performance

Performance with assistance

Zone of proximal development

Implications of Vygotsky’s Theory for Teachers Cont..

Use of ZPD and scaffolding Use of more-skilled peers as teachers Consider the cultural context of learning Encourage children’s use of private speech

Vygotskian Framework: Principles of Psychology Vygotskian Framework: Principles of Psychology and Educationand Education

Four basic principles:

1. Children construct knowledge

2. Development cannot be isolated from its social context

3. Bidirectional relation b/w learning and development

4. Language plays a central role in mental development

Scaffolding Scaffolding

Closely linked to ZPD Technique involving changing level of support

Conversational dialogue

In general – tasks a child can solve on his or own, the other by tasks solved under guidance and assistance

Strengths and Limitations of Strengths and Limitations of Vygotsky’s TheoryVygotsky’s Theory Strengths

Cognitive development is a social process

Historical and Cultural background Encouragement of the role of

languageCollaborative learning –(where a group

of peers strives to understand and learn things through their interactions

Limitations Is the width of a child’s ZPD same

across all areas of learning? Does it vary at different times of day,

with different levels of motivation? Is it generally stable? Excessive teacher support Relevance of Vygotsky’s ideas