Cognitive theory and Vygotsky
Vygotsky was a pioneer of psychology; he contributed much important research to the field. He graduated from the Moscow State University in 1917, and went on to work in many research facilities and educational establishments in Moscow. His extensive research into cognitive development has leaded his theory to be one of the most important of its kind. He believed that children’s thinking is affected by their social knowledge, which is communicated by either psychological or technical means.
He also suggested that language is the most important tool for gaining this social knowledge; the child can be taught this from other people via language. He defined intelligence as “the capacity to learn from instruction”, which emphasizes the fact there is a requirement for a more knowledgeable other person or ‘teacher’. He described something known as the zone of proximal development (ZPD), which is a key feature of his theory.
Cognitive teaching/learning approach is on making knowledge meaningful and helping learners organize and relate new information to prior knowledge in memory. There are two levels of attainment for the ZPD;
· Level 1 – the ‘present level of development’. This describes what the child is capable of doing without any help from others.
· Level 2 – the ‘potential level of development’. This means what the child could potentially be capable of with help from other people or ‘teachers’.
The gap between level 1 and 2 (the present and potential development) is what Vygotsky described as this zone of proximal development. He believed that through help from other, more knowledgeable people, the child can potentially gain knowledge already held by them. However, the knowledge must be appropriate for the child’s level of comprehension. Anything that is too complicated for the child to learn that isn’t in their ZPD cannot be learnt at all until there is a shift in the ZPD. When a child does attain their potential, this shift occurs and the child can continue learning more complex, higher level material.
Another important feature of this theory is scaffolding. When an adult provides support for a child, they will adjust the amount of help they give depending on their progress. For example, a child learning to walk might at first have both their hands held and pulled upwards. As they learn to support their own weight, the mother might hold both their hands loosely. Then she might just hold one hand, then eventually nothing. This progression of different levels of help is scaffolding.
Vygotsky provided a very influential theory which provided a meaningful social context in the development of learning. The emphasis of cultural knowledge was something unseen in Piaget’s theory.
· The zone of proximal development differentiates between a learner’s current development and their potential development.
· Scaffolding provides an effective way to reach potential levels of development, but only when different levels of assistance are given when required.
· Social and cultural tools are an important means of gaining intelligence.
· There is a close link between the acquisition of language and the development of thinking.
He also suggested that language is the most important tool for gaining this social knowledge; the child can be taught this from other people via language. He defined intelligence as “the capacity to learn from instruction”, which emphasizes the fact there is a requirement for a more knowledgeable other person or ‘teacher’. He described something known as the zone of proximal development (ZPD), which is a key feature of his theory.
Cognitive teaching/learning approach is on making knowledge meaningful and helping learners organize and relate new information to prior knowledge in memory. There are two levels of attainment for the ZPD;
· Level 1 – the ‘present level of development’. This describes what the child is capable of doing without any help from others.
· Level 2 – the ‘potential level of development’. This means what the child could potentially be capable of with help from other people or ‘teachers’.
The gap between level 1 and 2 (the present and potential development) is what Vygotsky described as this zone of proximal development. He believed that through help from other, more knowledgeable people, the child can potentially gain knowledge already held by them. However, the knowledge must be appropriate for the child’s level of comprehension. Anything that is too complicated for the child to learn that isn’t in their ZPD cannot be learnt at all until there is a shift in the ZPD. When a child does attain their potential, this shift occurs and the child can continue learning more complex, higher level material.
Another important feature of this theory is scaffolding. When an adult provides support for a child, they will adjust the amount of help they give depending on their progress. For example, a child learning to walk might at first have both their hands held and pulled upwards. As they learn to support their own weight, the mother might hold both their hands loosely. Then she might just hold one hand, then eventually nothing. This progression of different levels of help is scaffolding.
Vygotsky provided a very influential theory which provided a meaningful social context in the development of learning. The emphasis of cultural knowledge was something unseen in Piaget’s theory.
· The zone of proximal development differentiates between a learner’s current development and their potential development.
· Scaffolding provides an effective way to reach potential levels of development, but only when different levels of assistance are given when required.
· Social and cultural tools are an important means of gaining intelligence.
· There is a close link between the acquisition of language and the development of thinking.
Reference
Web Quest, Retrieved on March 14, 2013, from http://psychohawks.wordpress.com/2010/11/03/theories-of-cognitive-development-lev-vygotsky/
very detailed
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