1 Cognitive Development EDC 312 Chapter 5 Dr. Diane Kern

2 Admit activity Piaget suggests that there are four stages of cognitive development (see text). Think about the age group you hope to work with (birth to 2, age 2-7; age 7-13 or age 12-adult) and then describe the stage of cognitive development you anticipate in your learners and TWO ways that you will plan to meet the needs of learners at this stage of cognitive development.

3 What and why (declarative knowledge!) Children and adolescents reach various developmental milestones in a somewhat predictable sequence. This chapter on cognitive development will help you to better understand these patterns of development and the theory behind our teaching practice. You will also learn practical ways to encourage all students’ cognitive development.

4 Key Theorists and Theories Piaget—Cognitive Developmental theory Chomsky—Nativism Vygotsky—Sociocultural theory Flavell—Information Processing theory Freud and Erikson—Psychodynamic theory

5 Thinking becomes increasingly more abstract with development PIAGET Sensorimotor Preoperational Concrete operations Formal operations

6 Nativism Chomsky challenged the behaviorists’ theories of cognitive development in the 1950s. Nativism is the view that certain skills or abilities are 'native' or hard wired into the brain at birth.

7 Accommodating developmental differences and diversity Be mindful to interpret intelligence test results cautiously Giftedness? Learning Disability? Mental Retardation? ADD/ADHD?

8 Intelligence & Multiple Intelligences Define IQ, distributed intelligence Multiple Intelligences by Howard Gardner Take the quiz

9 Sociocultural theory Emphasis on role of social interaction and students’ culture in directing cognitive development. Vygotsky-zone of proximal development

10 Information Processing Theory Flavell (1976) states that metacognition is knowledge and beliefs about ones own cognitive processes. Knowledge and regulation of cognition Thinking is developmental; it changes as one grows. 3 categories of knowledge: Person, Task and Strategy variables

Psychodynamic theory Freud Erikson Identity formation Sense of self More Ch. 7 11

12 Practical implications Encourage play, discovery learning, exploration to solve problems Share wisdom (scaffold learning) Hands-on early grades, gradually increase abstract ideas/activities Reciprocal teaching Guided participation, cognitive apprenticeship Cultural considerations: social AND academic skills vs. speed vs. verbal vs. precision…

13 Exit activity Cognitive Development Video Clip What are some possible reasons that Herb is catching more fish than the others? Be sure to observe how experience with fishing affects Kent’s and Alicia’s ability to identify relevant variables in middle childhood and late adolescence. Offer 2 practical implications for instruction based on what you’ve observed and learned about stage theories and cognitive development.

14 Next… Workshop-Bloom’s Taxonomy and Question Generating Next reading Chapter 6 (be sure to get vocabulary sheet)-Motivation and Affect What role does motivation play in learning behavior and cognition? (hint…it’s HUGE!)