Two Theories Of Learning Essay

Vygotsky may have overplayed importance on social influences because he suggests that child’s cognitive development occurs through social interactions, for example children do internalisation of problem solving via mutual interactions. However, if social learning is the essence of cognitive development then learning would be a lot faster than it is. Thus Vygotsky ignores the biological aspects that aid or restricts the cognitive development such as the development of brain and maturation. Therefore Piaget’s theory of cognitive development is different to

Cognitive development is the term used to describe the construction of thought process, including remembering, problem solving and decision-making, from childhood through adolescence to adulthood. In this essay I will compare and contrast the theories of Piaget and Vygotsky, both of which were enormously significant contributors to the cognitive development component to/in psychology. In addition to this I will also weigh up the strengths and weaknesses of each theory and outline how they can be applied to an educational setting.

Children are constantly learning new information from many sources, but where is it that they receive the majority of their learning experience? Dr. Jean Piaget and Dr. Lev Vygotsky were both contributors to the theory of cognitive development. They both believe children are influenced by their environment, however both have different views of how a cognitive development occurs. Understanding the way children learn and take in information is essential to their development. With assistance for the text Development Through the Lifespan by Laura E. Berk (2014), this paper will examine the theories of both Piaget and Vygotsky in regard to cognitive development and teaching methods of children in mid-childhood.

Jean Piaget was a field altering stage theorist born in 1896 of Swiss descent. He was a pioneer in the concept of cognitive development. Cognitive development is by definition the study of how children acquire the ability to learn, think, reason, communicate, and remember. Piaget opened up and dissected the question, “how do children construct their worlds”. Piaget was the first person to present a comprehensive account of cognitive development. In the following essay I will dissect the complex and varying differences between a 3-year-old preschooler and a 9-year-old student in terms of the theories professed by Piaget. As a stage theorist Piaget focused on children’s development involving radical reorganization of thinking at specific common points. He dissected the

Jean Piaget’s theory focused on cognitive development as mental operations mature based on “simple sensory and motor activity to logical, abstract thought” (Papalia, et al., 2006). Piaget’s view was that growth occurs as a child matures and interacts with his or her surroundings; he looks at the human mind as a focal point and base for everything around it (Heffner, 2004). Cognitive development occurs in three interrelated processes, according to Piaget. The interrelated processes are organization, adaptation, and

Child Development is a text book based upon children’s development looking at all issues, influences and theories. The section of the book that I am referring too looks into detail the likes of Jean Piaget’s and Lev Vygotsky’s perspectives, in relation to cognitive development. In the book, Piaget’s developmental theory was described as a constructive approach, this refers to the ways we build our own understanding of the world around us and how we fit into it.

Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky’s theory of cognitive development has both similarities and differences. Both Piaget and Vygotsky's theories of cognitive development offers explanations for a child’s cognitive learning styles and abilities. Their theories on cognitive development focus on the emphasis of children’s development.

London: Routledge and Kegan Paul). On a whole, the cognitive development of children is summed up and concluded by Piaget’s stage theory. According to Piaget, cognitive development

There is an end to cognitive development for Jean Piaget’s theory. It is from birth to adolescence, whereas Vygotsky’s theory has no end to it. It carries out from birth till death. Piaget’s theory proclaimed that cognitive development is influenced by social transmission, which is also called learning from people around. On the other hand, Vygotsky’s theory states that cognitive development is influenced by social interaction; meaning that when an individual is engaged in social activity, his language and cognition are developing. Consequently, Piaget’s theory claims that the development of thinking and language in an individual can be traced back to the actions, perceptions and imitations by little children. On the contrary, Vygotsky’s theory postulates that there is a strong connection between learning language and the development of thinking Piaget (“Difference between Piaget and Vygotsky Theories”, 2016) and Vygotsky approach learning in different ways. Piaget observed in detail how children’s learning works, but he did not highlight the role of a mentor or a teacher. Vygotsky’s theory, on the other hand, does not observe the actual mental development,

Both Piaget and Vygotsky believed that development happens in the light of the fact that the child is a dynamic learner. Children are required in the learning and development process as they give input to the grown-up or instructor about their level of comprehension. Likewise, they both trust that development decreases the older a person gets. Like Piaget, Vygotsky believed that there were a few issues out of a child's scope of comprehension. In any case, conversely, Vygotsky believed that given the appropriate help, youngsters could solve an issue that Piaget would consider to be out of the child’s mental capacities. Additionally, Piaget and Vygotsky differ in the way they approach discovery learning. Piaget upheld discovery learning with little educator interruption, whereas Vygotsky encouraged guided discovery in the classroom. Guided discovery includes the educator offering fascinating inquiries to students and having them find the appropriate responses through experimenting with hypotheses. Piaget’s theory expresses that cognitive development is affected by social transmission, which basically means learning from other individuals. In contrast, Vygotsky’s theory expresses that cognitive development is affected by peer collaboration, which suggests that when an individual takes part in an interactive activity, his language and cognition are developing. Vygotsky’s theory is all around put to practice in educating methods. Piaget’s theory, however, suggests a liking in discovering and learning done by the people

Piaget had a phrase that said “Assimilation and Accommodation lead to Adaptation.” Assimilation is when a person fits his or her external information in with what he or she already knows. The change is external in this case. Accommodation is the exact opposite.

Piaget’s beliefs were that the most effective way of allowing learning to take place was to provide an environment which challenged children and allowed then to control their own learning (Aubrey, 2015). Piaget constructed that children could build mental structures called schemas in their minds to store new information. There were then three stages to his theory. Assimilation – where they could adapt an existing schema to make sense of a new experience. Accommodation – where a new experience cannot be related to an existing schema resulting in a new schema being needed. Finally, Adaptation – when assimilation and accommodation have both been achieved. Within teaching this theory can be recognised, while teaching a new skill, a child can use their previous knowledge from a schema to help them either through assimilation or accommodation to reach the understanding. Piaget was also the first psychologist to make a methodical study of cognitive development. He proposed that four stages of cognitive development. These stages explained how a child’s thought process expanded as

All children are unique as they learn, progress, develop at different rates and in a variety of ways. Nearly all theorists agree on the principles of children’s learning expansion in general and play a vital fragment of early childhood development. They all accept that cognitive learning is relatively systematic and takes place gradually at a variety of rates. Learning only occurs when experience causes a permanent change in an individual’s knowledge or behaviour (Weatherby-Fell, N. 2013). I am reviewing Burrus Federic Skinner’s behavioural theory and Jean Piaget cognitive development theory. This report style essay will provide an overview of the two theorists, a comparison between the two in relation to the image of the child, teaching, learning and development, and an analysis of how these two approaches align with the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF). Subsequently, details of both theories will be discussed and explained to illuminate the differences and connections to how children learn. These two extremely well-known theorists’ approaches are stimulating, cause reflection upon learning methods and ensures thought provoking teaching.

In the world of psychology, Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky are considered to be very prominent figures in the area of cognitive development. Both of these men considered themselves a constructivist, which entails a viewpoint that is concerned with the nature of knowledge. In their lifetime, both of them made contributions in the area of education and even after death, their theories still influence teaching methods. The purpose of this paper is to show some similarities as well as differences in the theories of Piaget and Vygotsky and what can be gained by having a better understanding of their theories.

Zone of Proximal Development – simply stated this is the expanse between the ability to independently solve a problem and perform the associated task and the need to do so with guidance. Because of inherent limitations of learning without an external influence, this “zone” represents the learner’s potential. The key is to challenge the learner’s ability with guidance, and gradually reduce the assistance as it becomes apparent that learning occurs.