Relate Piaget's and Vygotsky's developmental theories to the concepts of cognitive constructivism and social constructivism in meaningful learning experiences

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Jean Piaget's developmental theory, discussed in Chapter 2, holds that learning is the natural result of an intrinsic drive to resolve inconsistencies and contradictions encountered by the individual interacting in the environment. Cognitive constructivism focuses on the role of cognitive processes that take place within the individual during meaningful learning. Cognitive constructivism is an outgrowth of Piaget's developmental theory because it focuses on the cognitive processes that take place within individuals.
Lev Vygotsky's theory of development, also discussed in Chapter 2, focuses on the role of social interaction and cultural norms in the learning process. Social constructivism focuses on the role of culture and social interaction in the process of meaningful learning. According to this view, meaningful learning occurs when people are explicitly taught how to use the psychological tools of their culture and are then given the chance to use these tools to foster individual and/or shared understanding. Proponents of this approach to learning maintain the importance of giving students opportunities to engage in open-ended discussions with peers and teachers about the meaning of terms and procedures, the relationships among ideas, and the applicability of knowledge to specific contexts. This process, referred to as negotiating meaning, has its roots in Vygotsky's theory of development.