Chapter Two:
This chapter exposes you to six different theories of cognitive development, using six
different questions about the nature of cognitive development; however, the author does
not endorse any one theory. Identify the theory that makes the most sense to you for
each of the six questions listed below. (You may choose a different theory for each
question.) If your theory choice is one that the author notes as being out of favor at this
point in time, explain why you think the theory still makes sense to you for this particular
aspect of cognitive development.
1.
The "Nature of Knowledge" Question: What form does knowledge take in a
student's mind?
Thorndike – All knowledge consists of a network of associative bonds between situations
and responses. – out of favor.
Piaget – scheme (actions used repeatedly to solve problems); concept (forms of
understanding relations between things); structure (form/organization)
Schema – objects & events (scripts)
Information Processing – declarative knowledge (facts); procedural knowledge (methods)
Vygotsky’s - categories of defined labels & their functions
Connectionist – units of ideas or knowledge are connected and lead to others
2.
The Learning and Knowledge Growth Question: How do students acquire
knowledge and how does this knowledge grow?
Thorndike – law of exercise (use/disuse); law of effect (positive reinforcement)
Piaget – constructivism (exposure creates precursors to ideas)
Schema – formed thru abstraction; existing affects new; changes
Information Processing – sensory store => short-term store => long-term store
Vygotsky’s – symbols develop during interaction + change spontaneous concepts into
scientific counterparts + zone of proximal development (more advancement, less help
required)
Connectionist – Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) perform certain tasks. Input=>output
3.
The "Self-Regulation Question: How do students help themselves stay on track and
adapt to the demands of the classroom?
Thorndike – teachers regulate students more than students regulate students.
Piaget – predisposed toward self-regulation
Schema – problem-solvers have large pools of flexible schemata
Information Processing – strategies (tools/tricks/methods); cognitive monitoring (process =>
monitoring => evaluating)
Vygotsky’s – communicative speech (external) => egocentric speech (to oneself) => inner
speech (internal to oneself)
Connectionist – actions leading to less errors are repeated.
4.
The "Educational Applications" Question: How might the theory explain student
successes and failures or help teachers provide more effective forms of instruction?
Thorndike – Use lots of repetition; reward correct answers, punish incorrect response;
Distance related subjects
Piaget – P1 (internalize actions by repeating); P2 (each developmental level has unique
features); P3 (children need precursors, experience, & students need alternatives)
Schema - identify common traits; little is retained without assistance (study aids);
incorporate new into existing knowledge
Information Processing – recognize limits to process & remember (small segments; explicit
strategy instructions; groups of information in chunks); Lots of exposure and practice
Vygotsky’s – teachers are scaffolds : instruct in advance of a current mastery : modelimitate-fade
Connectionist – emphasis – repetition + feedback w/in environment = success
5.
The "Neuroscience" Question: How does the theory relate to the field of cognitive
neuroscience?
Thorndike – law of readiness (readiness to conduct leads to satisfaction)
Piaget – relationship between biological structures and mental structures and functions
Schema – motor cortex active contralateral to activity; events activate right orbitofrontal
cortex.
Information Processing – the mind is the program of the of the brain
Vygotsky’s – expanded neocortex provides certain abilities that animals lack
Connectionist – has closest affinity to neuroscience
6.
The "Higher-Order Thinking" Question: Does the theory make a distinction between
lower-order and higher-order forms of thought?
Thorndike – all knowledge consists of associative bonds
Piaget – thinking becomes abstract and then logical
Schema – no constructs to explain age differences in reasons
Information Processing – metacognition – explicit knowledge of strategies/know ones
strengths and weaknesses/learn from one’s mistakes/cognitive learning
Vygotsky’s – progression from lower forms of thought to higher order thinking
Connectionist – lower level thought models
Chapter Two:
1. Knowledge, in a student’s mind, seems most related to the Information Processing
model. Students appear to acquire declarative knowledge or facts by the situations to
which they are exposed or presented. Then, they are led to procedural knowledge, or
the methods by which those facts are connected.
2. Thorndike’s laws seem to be most on target regarding the way students acquire
knowledge and how it grows. The law of exercise basically equates brain activity as if
muscle, wherein use leads to efficiency and disuse leads to atrophy. While this theory
was out of favor, the recent research in Alzheimer’s leads to a resurgence of this theory.
Further, the law of effect suggests that positive reinforcement will lead to a greater
efficacy of learning.
3. It would seem that the modern classroom indicates that Piaget’s belief that students are
predisposed toward self-regulation is patently wrong. Students simply do not seem to
regulate their learning or behaviors. The trend toward “unschooling” in some situations
may work, but largely fails as the youth of today appear to be inherently lazy when it
comes to desire for learning. However, the Schema theory presents that problemsolvers have large pools of flexible and accurate schemata, and that youth with large
pools of flexible and accurate schemata are good problem-solvers. This circular
reasoning is quite practical in that those with the tools will do the task, and will then
desire to acquire the tools to do more tasks.
4. Vygotsky’s theory seems most applicable to the Educational Applications Questions.
The construct of teachers as scaffolds providing the lift needed to put the student within
reach of the new task. Then, the teacher must instruct in advance of a current mastery.
As the teacher assists the student with success, the teacher will provide a model for the
student, then as the student imitates the model, the teacher’s contact will face away
from that skill and begin the next.
5. It would seem a conflux of Piaget and Schema theories are the most practical theories
that apply to Neuroscience. Piaget tells us that there is a relationship between
biological structures and mental structures and functions. However, the Schema
indicates that the motor cortex is active as contralateral to activity; whereas events
activate the right orbitofrontal cortex. Both make sense.
6. While all the theories seem to have validity, the one that seems most applicable is that
of Information Processing. Within this, the construct of metacognition indicates an
explicit knowledge of strategies which allow one to know ones strengths and
weaknesses and then to learn from one’s mistakes which will lead to cognitive learning.