Teaching Theories: Piaget And Vygotsky's Theory In Education

Improved Essays
Part A

Introduction

The work of constructivist theorists, notably Piaget and Vygotsky, identified two constructivist learning models, which are: individual constructivism, which states that knowledge is constructed from personal experience by the individual, and social constructivism, which declares that knowledge, is acquired through collaboration with meaning negotiated from multiple perspectives (Almala, 2006)

Piaget is known as the first constructivist, asserts that the theory of constructivism emphasis on the process of finding a theory or knowledge that is built from the ground realities. The role of teachers in teaching according this theory is as a facilitator or moderator. The views of the children of the more recent constructivist
…show more content…
First, classroom setting is important to enhance cooperative learning among groups of students with different abilities, so students can interact in tasks that are difficult and mutually led to strategies for effective problem solving. Second, Vygotsky learning approach emphasizes scaffolding. Scaffolding means changing the level of support. Over the course of teaching session, a more skilled person (a teacher or advanced peer) adjusts the amount of guidance to fit the child’s current performance (John W, (2011). With the scaffolding, they will be able to take responsibility for their own learning.

Basically constructivism is used as a guide in the education field. In constructivist education, there are some basic principles of knowledge built by students, where each student has an idea and knowledge base and knowledge-building process involves the social aspect. However their teacher is just playing a role as a facilitator in the development of students ' knowledge.

The constructivist teaching model encourages students to be actively involved in their learning and the teacher guides the students through the learning process. As an expert educator, Dewey explains that student-oriented learning process will eventually ensure students to analyze their experiences and encourage students to become more

Related Documents

  • Great Essays

    Constructive pedagogical practices are considered to encourage an effective classroom, where teachers and students work together to achieve their learning goals. Constructivism theory is basically depending on observation and scientific study of learning patterns of learners. Piaget’s cognitive and Vygotsky’s social constructivism are two dominant types of constructivism in the classroom. Both theories suggest useful teaching methods and learner-directed concepts based on purposeful and relevant knowledge, such as encouraging students to use effective strategies i.e. experiments, real-world problem solving, reflection and discussion about their learning experience and assess their understanding. The constructivist teachers ensure they understand…

    • 1500 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    EDU 203 Portfolio Essay

    • 579 Words
    • 3 Pages

    EDU 203 Portfolio Artifact # 4 Our future is the students of today. Each and every student has the potential to set high standards and strive for even higher goals through education. Teaching is a meaningful and respectful career that requires commitment. A SPED teacher takes an extraordinary individual that truly is dedicated to each different personality and wholeheartedly strives to teach each one of them.…

    • 579 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    Intersectionality Theory

    • 3041 Words
    • 13 Pages

    In the field of education, the focus of educational leaders is student achievement. Educational leaders aim to ensure that students experience success by studying theories such as constructivism, cognitivism, and Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. These theories help educational leaders better understand how student learn though studying biological, social, and cultural differences that impacts students’ learning. The researcher will attempt to show how these three theories provide a framework for advancing the research in the field of education, while comparing the similarities and differences of these theories. In addition, the researcher will provide a scholarly rationale for why intersectionality theory is best aligned with my approved dissertation…

    • 3041 Words
    • 13 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    1. Social constructivism is the idea of understanding and learning from a joint or shared experience. The knowledge and understanding differs for each individuals; due to the fact, people have different background. For example, a teacher can be consider as a parent. Its only goal is to educate their students; similarly to how a parent would teach their child to behave or to act.…

    • 531 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    They create, interpret and recognize knowledge in individual ways. Constructivism considers prior learning, and is learner centered and results in a building, modification, and expansion of new knowledge. Q2. The online instructor needs to develop constructivism-based strategies to meet the individual requirements of the adult learner.…

    • 661 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Sociocultural theory and constructivism are two learning theories that are often pinned against each other. Sociocultural theory focuses on the interactions between people and the culture that they live to learn (Steiner and Mahn, 1996). Constructivism suggests that because individuals are not blank slates new knowledge is constructed by building upon prior knowledge and experiences (Brandsford, Brown, and Cocking, 2000). Additionally, sociocultural theory can take on different approaches such as zone of proximal development and tools and mediation. At the sight of observation, the learning activity was a guided reading lesson.…

    • 1684 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The mathematical theoretical perspective that best enables children is Constructivism. It allows children to problem solve with initiative and confidence through guidance, while developing understanding and knowledge. The Constructivism theory devised from a philosopher from Switzerland named Jean Piaget (Anghileri, 2006; Atherton, 2013). Piaget’s Constructivism theory has two key features called ‘Accommodation and Assimilation’ (Atherton, 2013). Assimilating allows the student to merge new experiences into old.…

    • 342 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    Piaget asserted that individuals learn by constructing one logical idea after another. He also emphasized that the logic and thinking mode of the children are different from the adults (Educational Broadcasting Corporation, 2004). Meanwhile, Dewey believed that schools should not encourage their students to develop habitual memorization of learning. Instead, students should be involved in practical activities, which they would apply their knowledge by showing their creativity and teamwork (UCD Teaching and Learning, n.d.). He highlighted that inquiry is a vital part of the constructivist learning (Educational Broadcasting Corporation, 2004).…

    • 1407 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Great Essays

    Constructivist teaching is based on the belief that learning occurs as learners are actively involved in a process of meaning and knowledge construction as opposed to passively receiving information. Learners are the makers of meaning and knowledge. In both cases, the theory of constructivism suggests that learners construct knowledge out of their experiences. However, constructivism is often associated with pedagogic approaches that promote active learning, or learning by doing. The history of constructivism and how it has changed over time, TIn this century, Jean Piaget and John Dewey developed theories of childhood development.…

    • 1482 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Ideally, an educator seeks the best teaching method for his or her students; however, the debate remains, what theory is universal for teachers to use? The solution is not singular, for several theories offer exceptional suggestions on how to apply certain material that best suits the development of students. Such suggestions may come from the theories of Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky. Despite their differing views in cognitive development, both have contributed to the improvement of teaching methods and as a future educator, I plan to use both elements as resources to my teaching methods. Lev Vygotsky introduced what is known as Social Development Theory.…

    • 829 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    “The purpose of education is to enhance individual effectiveness in society and give learners practical knowledge and problem and problem-solving skills.” John Dewey (2008). Dewey's emphasis on the importance of democratic relationships in the classroom setting necessarily shifted the focus of educational theory from the institution of the school to the needs of the school's students. According to John Dewey the needs, experiences and abilities of students are essential. Progressivism focuses on the whole child and not the teacher or the curriculum.…

    • 1387 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Constructivism – Jerome Bruner Situated Learning – Jean Lave • Emphasis on processes of coming to know rather than structure of knowledge • Domain dependent individual differences rather than universal stages • Emphasis on the importance of action and problem solving • 3 modes of representation: o Enactive o Iconic o Symbolic • Instruction should concern the experiences and contexts that make students willing and able to learn - interest • Learning as knowledge construction • Learning is in the relationships between people • Educators work so that people can become participants in communities of practice • There is an intimate connection between knowledge and activity • Explanation of how different contexts create and reflect different forms of mental functioning • Explanation of how human action is mediated via context • Learning as legitimate peripheral participation in communities of practice • Learning as situated in practical action • Learning as meaning-making Table 1: Comparison between Bruner’s Constructivism and Lave’s Situated Learning Implication to Learning…

    • 1037 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    A Learning theory is a framework describing how information is processed and absorbed by our minds. Behavioural, personal and environmental factors, as well as previous experiences, all play a part in our understanding. They explain how different factors can help learners process and recall information, suggesting that as we learn we also change the way we perceive our surroundings and the way we interact with others. A definition by Kimble (1961) is that “Learning refers to a more or less permanent change in behaviour which occurs as a result of practice”, suggesting learning will almost always be permanent.…

    • 1165 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Sociocultural Theory Essay

    • 1941 Words
    • 8 Pages

    Sociocultural theory has made a great impact on the learning and teaching process. Vygotsky’s theory advocates that learning is a process where participation in socially mediated activities is essential. This theory argues that social interaction precedes development, consciousness and cognition are the end product of socialization and social behavior. Vygotsky’s theory is one of the foundations of constructivism. (Vygotsky, 1978)…

    • 1941 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    By looking at the characteristics of constructivism, differentiation in the theory, and how this theory looks in a lesson form, one can see the honest building of a student’s ability through the Constructivist Teaching Style (Brooks & Brooks, 1999). Constructivist Characteristics and Inquiry-Based Learning Vast. Mysterious. Engaging. Three words to describe our Solar System, and three words that…

    • 1541 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Superior Essays