Vikky Morris EDU 383 Information Technology for K-12 Education January 27, 2014 Factors that influence

Cognitive development Understanding how a child learns and processes new information is an important concept for teachers to know. There are many theories of cognitive development. Three leaders in this field are Jean Piaget, Lev Vygotsky and Jerome Bruner, whose cognitive development theories have many similarities and just as many differences. Three factors of cognitive development that are important to how children learn are social interaction, language and stages of development. Vygotsky and Bruner both agree that social interaction is important in a childs cognitive development. Interacting with other children and adults encourages learning. This social interaction often takes the form of scaffolding. Psychology lecturer at Wigan and Leigh College, Saul McLeod explains scaffolding as, helpful, structured interaction between an adult and a child with the aim of helping the child achieve a specific goal (McLeod). Adults encourage learning by interacting with the child. While all three agree that children are active learners, only Piaget believes that cognitive development is internal and children learn independently. While Vygotsky and Piaget both agree that language especially inner-speech, when a child talks to themselves in order to solve a problem, is important in cognitive development. Although they differ on how it is important, Vygotsky and Bruner agree that language increases cognitive development and therefore precedes learning. Piaget believes innerspeech helps cognitive development but does not precede it.

Piaget places more importance of stages in cognitive development. Piaget believed that children think differently at various stages of development. Vygotsky seems to have very little to say about stages of development. Bruner believes in stages of development but doesnt place them by age as Piaget does.

Factors that influence Cognitive development

Language

Social interaction Lev Vygotsky Jerome Bruner

Stages of development Jean Piaget Jerome Bruner

Lev Vygotsky Jean Piaget

References

Hurst, Melissa. "Differences between Piaget & Vygotsky's Cognitive Development Theories." Retrieved from http://education-portal.com/academy/lesson/differencesbetween-piaget-vygotskys-cognitive-development-theories.html McLeod, S. A. (2009). Jean Piaget. Retrieved from http://www.simplypsychology.org/ piaget.html McLeod, S. A. (2007). Lev Vygotsky. Retrieved from http://www.simplypsychology.org/ vygotsky.html McLeod, S. A. (2008). Bruner. Retrieved from http://www.simplypsychology.org/bruner.html