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Cognitive Development Theories Of Jean Piaget And Lev Vygotsky

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Two of the most recognized cognitive psychologist, Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky, developed theories that addressed cognitive development and learning among children. (Ballinger, 2013) Jean Piaget proposed that children proceed through four stages based on maturation and experience. Piaget’s theory is guided by assumptions of how learners interact with their environment and how they integrate new knowledge and information into existing knowledge. Briefly, Piaget proposed that children are active learners who construct knowledge from their environments, they learn through assimilation and accommodation, and complex cognitive development occurs through equilibration, the interaction with physical and social environments. (William, 1996) Piaget’s theory is evident in the case study as they discuss which animals should be placed in which enclosure with each. Their aim here is to create a farm and make their enclosures for the farm animals. The learners integrate prior knowledge with new knowledge. One child discovers that he can fold the square pieces of paper diagonally and make two triangles. Thereafter two to three children pick up their paper and start folding it in half to accommodate more animals. They realise that there are not enough enclosures for all the groups of animals. Lev Vygotsky viewed mathematics as the development of thinking and reasoning. Vygotsky regarded social interaction, instruction and culture as important in the transmission of knowledge. Lev
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