week 6 discussion

WEEK 6 THEORIES OF LEARNING AND MOTIVATION

OVERVIEW

Developmental Perspectives on Cognition

Chapter 9: Cognitive-Developmental Perspectives

Chapter 10: Sociocultural Theory

Pasquale, M. (2015). Productive Struggle in Mathematics. Education Development Center. http://interactivestem.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/EDC-RPC-Brief-Productive- Struggle.pdf

Activities

Discussion: Learning Strategies

DISCUSSION BOARD

• For this week's Discussion Board post, consider the concept of "Productive Struggle" in Mathematics described in the Pasquale (2015) research brief assigned as reading for this week.

Prompt 1:

• Explain how a Piagetian /Neo-Piagetian might explain what productive struggle is and why it benefits learners. Then offer two different strategies that a Piagetian/Neo-Piagetian would recommend for maximizing effective productive struggle in children and/or adolescents.

OR

Prompt 2:

• Explain how a Vygotskian theorist or a theorist who subscribes to a contemporary contextual perspective on learning might explain what productive struggle is and why it benefits learners. Then offer two different strategies that such a theorist would recommend for maximizing effective productive struggle in children and/or adolescents.

Piaget's Theory

Constructivist view

– People construct their own

knowledge and understanding

of the world by using what

they already know and

understand to interpret new

experiences.

Swiss psychologist

Jean Piaget

HOW DOES KNOWLEDGE DEVELOP?

• Children actively create knowledge by building schemes from their experiences (nurture), using two inborn (nature) intellectual functions

• Organization

• Children systematically combine existing schemes into new and more complex ones

• Adaptation

• Process of adjusting to the demands of the environment

Piaget’s Theory

© 2014, 2010, 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Conservation

certain properties remain the same even if physical appearance is changed

PIAGET’S CONTRIBUTIONS

• CONTRIBUTIONS:

• Showed us that infants and children are active in their own development

• Taught us that children think differently than adults do

• Was largely accurate in his basic description of cognitive development

• CHALLENGES:

• Underestimating cognitive abilities of infants and young children

• Failing to adequately explain development

• Did a better job describing development

• Giving limited attention to social influences on cognitive development

Vygotsky’s View of Cognitive Development

• Cognition is the result of social

interactions in which children

learn through guided participation

• Children gradually grow

intellectually and begin to function

on their own because of

assistance that adult and peer

partners provide

Zone of Proximal Development

Cognition increases through exposure to information that is new enough to be intriguing, but not too difficult

Provide scaffolding for children’s development

– The more-skilled person gives structured help to a less-skilled learner

Mental activity is mediated by tools

– Adults use tools to pass culturally valued modes of thinking and problem solving to their children

• Spoken language

• Writing

• Using numbers

Concluding Notes

 At the end of Week 7 final paper is due.

 Use this week to seek feedback from the Writing Studio (response time is about 24

hours)

 1. Everyone can improve writing (it is a process).

 2. Feedback (critique) is an integral part of Psychology…Your dissertation (and

writing) will be critiqued many times.

 3. Gives you perspective on your writing (even if you disagree!)

 https://www.keiseruniversity.edu/writing-studio/