How do we learn?

How do we learn?
 How do we learn?

Behaviourism – changes in what pupils do [Video 1]

Constructivism – changes in how students think
 Constructivism:
Theories of Cognitive Development

Psychological Constructivism: Jean Piaget (1896-1980)

Social Constuctivism: Lev Vygotsky (1896-1934)
Jerome Bruner (1915 - )
 What is development ?

• Development proceeds in a somewhat orderly

and predictable pattern; there are
developmental milestones.
• Yet different children develop at different rates.
• Yet development occurs via both spurts and
plateaus.
• And development is continually affected by both
nature and nurture.
 Jean Piaget
Theory of Cognitive Development

• Schema

• Assimilation

• Accommodation

• Equilibrium
Jean Piaget: Constructivism
• Sensorimotor: 0-2 actions are ego centric, child is
focussed on the here and now

• Pre-operational: 2-7 actions are internalised, classes

not discriminated hierarchically, absolute view of the world, egocentric,
begin to look for reasons and decentre

• Concrete Operational: 7-10 ideas cannot be

manipulated purely mentally but can make abstraction

• Formal Operational: 11+ no need for concrete

props, hypothetico-deductive thinking, no longer limited to personal
experience, self-reflective
 Jean Piaget: Constructivism

• Criticisms
Sequence of the stages is supported, but the ages identified
for each stage are debated.

Piaget may have underestimated young children’s cognitive

capabilities. [Video 2 12.22-17.44]

Piaget may have overemphasized the importance of

interaction with the physical environment.

Social interaction may be more influential than realized.

Lack of emphasis on language acquisition and development.

 Lev Vygotsky
Theory of Cognitive Development:
Social Constructivist Theory

• Culture is prioritised
• Language is the medium through which we learn
• More Knowledgeble Other (MKO) modelling
• Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)
• ‘What a child can do today in co-operation,
tomorrow he will be able to do on his own.’
Vygotsky [1962 p67]
Lev Vygotsky : ZPD
 Jerome Bruner
• Learning involves the search for patterns,
regularity and predictability.
• Instruction helps in the discovery of such
patterns and is necessary for experiences
to be transformed into rational thinking.
This is the idea of scaffolding.
• Social experience plays an important part
in cognitive development.
• Prior understanding and new knowledge
is used to problem-solve.
 Constructivism:
Implications for pupils’ learning?
• Learners are purposeful and active.
• They bring prior concepts to the learning situation.
• Knowledge is personally and socially constructed.
• It is problematic: does it fit experiences?Is it coherent with other
aspects of knowledge?
• Teaching is not the transmission of knowledge, but the
organisation of expierences and activities which promote learning.
• Teacher as facilitator.