Theory Shapes Teacher Perception
Jean Piaget’s (1896-1980) cognitive developmental theory is significant in understanding how children have to think or use cognitive processes to learn. Piaget’s theory highlights how children have patterns or templates called schemes that house their existing experiences and knowledge. Through two other mental processes called assimilation and accommodation children are able to adapt and change their schemes.
Jerome Bruner (1915-present) is another cognitive developmental theorist that views the role of teacher/parent in guiding or assisting a child as a process called scaffolding. The teacher determines what, when and how to support the student in achieving an objective and the student constructs knowledge as they interpret the situation.
Lev Vygotsky (1896- 1934) is another cognitive developmental theorist but he emphasized the interaction between the student and his social context to describe the transformation of knowledge into new understanding. The zone of proximal development is how Vygotsky described a student benefiting from a teacher’s guidance to solve a problem. The successful teacher will be sensitive to the child’s cultural context to effectively provide the scaffolding within that student’s zone to transform his previous knowledge into new culturally relevant and practical understanding.
