The Theories Of Piaget And Vygotsky On Childhood Development

Response to Scenario B In current educational psychology, both the works of Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky have become prominent in an understanding of developmental cognition in childhood (Duchesne, McMaugh, Bochner Karuse, 2013, p. 56). Their theories are complimentary and provide a more rigorous comprehension of childhood development (Shayer, M., 2003, p. 465). Their varying principles are applicable to many situations concerning the development of children. The focuses of Piaget and Vygotsky on the ways of childhood development differ. Piaget was focused on the four developmental stages of cognitive growth in his Theory of Cognitive Development, whilst Vygotsky’s principles were based on development in a societal manner with his†¦show more content†¦Drawing on photo sources from the internet and identifying the physical traits of the butterfly, the teacher can achieve one of two objectives. Firstly, the students could use current knowledge â€Å"action schema†, appearing when pres ented with this new information (Francis, D., 2005, p. 257), and compare it to their own current knowledge of insect species, assimilation, or a new schema could be built in students of the species of the butterfly, accommodation. In doing this, the students increase their knowledge of species of insect. When the students leave the classroom to find physical specimens of the butterfly, they further cement their changed or new schemas. Piaget’s principle of organisation is utilised through a discussion, as they classify other local insects, for example, bees. The discussion entails the role of varying species of insect; bee, butterfly and moth, have on nature. This process is vital for a child to be able to gather and process new and important information and store mentally for later use (Duchesne et al., 2005, p. 74). This activity recreates cognitive equilibrium for the students at a higher developmental level, as their disequilibration through understanding the perplexing new information is corrected (Flavell, J., 1996, p. 201). Through this process, students continue to form schemas and gather a more thorough understanding of how nature they are exploring works. Vygotsky’s principles are also used in the education