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Beliefs about Learning: Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory

by Fran

Vygotsky’s theory of cognitive development was an early influence in my study of Models of Learning. His work gained wide attention in the 1970’s.

https://www.psychologynoteshq.com/vygotsky-theory/ BY PSYCHOLOGY NOTES HQ · MAY 2 2018

_{Lev Semenovich Vygotsky, a Russian psychologist who lived during the Russian Revolution, developed a theory of development known as the Sociocultural Theory of Cognitive Development in the early twentieth century.}_{As a proponent of the sociocultural perspective to development, Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory gained worldwide recognition. It began to exert influence when his work was finally translated into English in 1962 and the importance of both sociocultural perspective of development and cross-cultural research was recognized.}

‘Vygotsky’s main assertion was that children are entrenched in different sociocultural contexts and their cognitive development is advanced through social interaction with more skilled individuals. The Vygotsky theory of cognitive development is mainly concerned with the more complex cognitive activities of children that are governed and influenced by several principles. Believing that children construct knowledge actively, Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory is also one of those responsible for laying the groundwork for constructivism.’ Highlight or Color in red for distinguishing factors

ZONE OF PROXIMAL DEVELOPMENT

‘Vygotsky is most recognized for his concept of Zone of Proximal Development or ZPD pertaining to the learning of children. Children who are in the zone of proximal development for a specific task can almost perform the task independently, but not quite there yet. However, with an appropriate amount of assistance, these children can accomplish the task successfully….’

‘The lower limit of a child’s zone of proximal development is the level of analysis and problem-solving reached by a child without any help. The upper limit, on the other hand, is the level of additional responsibility that a child can receive with the support of a skilled instructor…’

‘As children are verbally given instructions or shown how to perform certain tasks, they organize the new information received in their existing mental schemas in order to assist them in the ultimate goal of performing the task independently… ..his conviction that social influences, particularly instruction, are of immense importance on the cognitive development of children.’

MORE KNOWLEDGEABLE OTHER

‘….These adults (parents and teachers) need to direct and organize the learning experiences to ensure that the children can master and internalize the learning.

….any person who possesses a higher skill level than the learner with regard to a particular task or concept is called a More Knowledgeable’…

SCAFFOLDING

‘….Scaffolding refers to the temporary support given to a child by More Knowledgeable Others, until such time that the child can already perform the task independently.’

‘Scaffolding entails changing the quality and quantity of support provided..in the course of a teaching session. The more-skilled instructor adjusts the level of guidance needed in order to fit the student’s current level of performance. For novel tasks, the instructor may utilize direct instruction. As the child gains more familiarity with the task and becomes more skilled at it, the instructor may then provide less guidance’.

….’ When the child has learned to complete the task independently, the scaffolds are removed by the adult, as they are no longer needed ‘.

….research attention has been shifted from the individual onto larger interactional units such as parent and child, teacher and child, or brother and sister.

‘Vygotsky’s theory likewise called attention to the variability of cultural realities,….. ….It would not be fitting, therefore, to utilize the developmental experiences of children from one culture as a norm for children from other cultures.’

‘Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory of cognitive development has significant ramifications in education and cognitive testing. Vygotsky was a strong advocate of non-standard assessment procedures for the assessment of what and how much a child has learned and in the formulation of approaches that could enhance the child’s learning. His ideas have effected changes in educational systems through the increased importance given to the active role of students in their own learning process and the encouragement of teacher-student collaboration in a reciprocal learning experience.’

"Model" Beliefs About Learning Classrooms and Context Collaborative Learning Frameworks/Research

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Comparison of Individual Differences Models

by Fran

Individual Differences “Characteristics” Across Models

Individual Differences Frameworks Focused on Cognitive and Affective^ “Characteristics” ^In Red

Developmental	Popular Single Factor Models	Habits of Mind	“IQ”/Cognitive Tests	Differentiated Instruction/CAST	CARENOTES
Piaget Sensory Motor Preoperational Concrete Operational Formal Operational	GRIT	Persistence	WISC-V	Concrete/Abstract D	Conceptualization
	Growth Mindset	Managing Impulsivity	Verbal Digit Span Information Similarities Vocabulary Comprehension Arithmetic	Simple/Complex D	Abstraction
	Mindfulness	Taking Respnbl Risks			Representation
	Agency*/Self-Direction	Finding Humor		Smaller Leaps to Greater Leaps D	Engagement
Vygotsky Zone of PD Level of analysis Problem solving Organizing info…mental schema Interaction w partners Cultural influences					Number (Working Memory
		Listening with understanding and empathy	Performance Pix Completion Coding Pic Arrangement Block Design Object Assembly Symbol Search Mazes	Few Facets to Multi Facets D	Other(s)
		Thinking interpedently		More Structured to More Open D	Tentativeness
	Personalized Learning Agency Voice Choice http://wanttolearn. edublogs.org/ 2016/04/05/ learning-frameworks-focused-on-individuals-as-learners-6/	Thinking & Communicating with Clarity and Precision ———————— Striving for Accuracy ——————————- Creating, Imagining and Innovating —————————– Responding with wonderment and awe ——————————- Creating, imagining and innovating ——————————-	Woodcock J-IV COG Standard Battery Oral Vocabulary Number Series Verbal Attention Letter pattern matching Phonological Matching Story Recall Visualization General Information Concept Formation Number Reversed Concept Formation Number Reversal	Recruiting Interest C Sustained Interest and Persistence C ————————— Self-Regulation C Executive Function C	The Process of Understanding a Learner’s Strengths and Challenges

"Model" Individual Differences Uncategorized

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Choosing and Using Frameworks for Understanding “individual differences”

by Fran

I have lots of questions!

If we count each framework separately we arrive at 4 Developmental Frameworks (Piaget, Vygotsky, Flavell, Sternberg), 4 Popular Single Factor Framework, (Grit, Growth Mindset, Mindfulness and Agency/Self-Direction), 1 Multiple “characteristics” framework (Habits of Mind), 2 Intelligence/Cognitive Tests (WISC-V and SJV COG), Two Curriculum Based Frameworks (Differentiated Instruction and CAST), 1 “Personalized Learning” framework, and my earlier framework (CARE NOTES).

How might we compare and choose a framework? Is it doable? valuable? context dependent? Where might such analysis/comparison take us? How does a teacher or school focus on one or more of these frameworks in order to more specifically and effective address the strengths and challenges of individual students? What role do parents play in choosing a way to describe their child?

Where might we start?

Is the framework easily understood?

Is it possible that some frameworks overlap with other frameworks?

How is a framework chosen?

…on the basis of teacher/school purpose;

…on the basis of ease of understanding and implementing the framework;

…on the basis of evidence of the framework’s effectiveness;

…on the basis of ease of implementing;

…on the basis of family and child input.

Are there examples of the frameworks use? Effectiveness?

Individual Differences Student Voices

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A Plan for Understanding How Children Learn to be Learners

by Fran

A sequence of posts.

Exploring Learning Models of that are related to Executive Function,

*SocioCultural/Vygotsky (August 30, 2018)

*Behavioral (September 5, 2018)

*Concept-Based Learning (September 19, 2018)

*More than Content: Concepts Plus Process (October 3, 2018)

*Information Processing from a Developmental Point of View/Sternberg and Flavell (October 31 2018)

* * * * *

*Begin with a Plan to Understand and Collaborate with Individual Children About Their Learning (This is our next series of posts.)

* * * * *

Translating the most promising model for your situation into Context-Based Instruction

*Choose Instructional Principles

*Sequence Goals and Objectives

*Engage in Diagnostic Teaching

*Monitor Progress and Make Necessary Changes

*Work toward Generalization

*Apply to A Domain and then Across Domains

*Continue to Grow By Following the Literature

"Model" Agency Beliefs About Learning Collaborative Learning Individual Differences

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Models of Learning from Textbooks and Online Searches

by Fran

“Models” of learning are part of almost every undergrad/grad course on learning. See for example: J.P. Byrnes (Cognitive Development and Learning, 2^nd Edition), R. Siegler, J DeLoache and N. Eisenberg (How Children Learn), and D. J. Bjorklund (Children’s Thinking: Cognitive Development and Individual Differences).

Each offers chapters on several “Models” of learning: Social Construction of Mind, Piaget and Neo-Piagetians, Information-Processing (Bjorklund); Thorndike, Piaget, Schema, Information Processing, Vygotsky, Connectionist); Piaget, Information-Processing, Sociocultural, Core-Knowledge and Dynamic Systems).

My focus will be on those models that explain Information-Processing, Connectivism , and Socio (Cultural) Construction.

*****

https://courses.lumenlearning.com/suny-educationalpsychology/chapter/major-theories-and-models-of-learning/ This is a 22 page article. Here are a few excerpts:

3 Models with detailed definitions of each: Behaviorist, Constructivism, Social Constructivism

CC LICENSED CONTENT, SHARED PREVIOUSLY

Educational Psychology. Authored by: Kelvin Seifert and Rosemary Sutton. Located at: https://open.umn.edu/opentextbooks/BookDetail.aspx?bookId=153. License: CC BY: Attribution

Major theories and models of learning

“Several ideas and priorities, then, affect how we teachers think about learning, including the curriculum, the difference between teaching and learning, sequencing, readiness, and transfer. The ideas form a “screen” through which to understand and evaluate whatever psychology has to offer education. As it turns out, many theories, concepts, and ideas from educational psychology do make it through the “screen” of education, meaning that they are consistent with the professional priorities of teachers and helpful in solving important problems of classroom teaching. In the case of issues about classroom learning, for example, educational psychologists have developed a number of theories and concepts that are relevant to classrooms, in that they describe at least some of what usually happens there and offer guidance for assisting learning. It is helpful to group the theories according to whether they focus on changes in behavior or in thinking. ….The rest of this chapter describes key ideas from each of these viewpoints….each describes some aspects of learning not just in general, but as it happens in classrooms in particular. So each perspective suggests things that you might do in your classroom to make students’ learning more productive.”

Behaviorism: changes in what students do

“Behaviorism is a perspective on learning that focuses on changes in individuals’ observable behaviors— changes in what people say or do. At some point we all use this perspective, whether we call it “behaviorism” or something else. The first time that I drove a car, for example, I was concerned primarily with whether I could actually do the driving, not with whether I could describe or explain how to drive. For another example: when I reached the point in life where I began cooking meals for myself, I was more focused on whether I could actually produce edible food in a kitchen than with whether I could explain my recipes and cooking procedures to others. And still another example—one often relevant to new teachers: when I began my first year of teaching, I was more focused on doing the job of teaching—on day-to-day survival—than on pausing to reflect on what I was doing.”….

Constructivism: changes in how students think

“Behaviorist models of learning may be helpful in understanding and influencing what students do, but teachers usually also want to know what students are thinking, and how to enrich what students are thinking. For this goal of teaching, some of the best help comes from constructivism, which is a perspective on learning focused on how students actively create (or “construct”) knowledge out of experiences. Constructivist models of learning differ about how much a learner constructs knowledge independently, compared to how much he or she takes cues from people who may be more of an expert and who help the learner’s efforts (Fosnot, 2005; Rockmore, 2005). For convenience these are called psychological constructivism and social constructivism (or sometimes sociocultural theory). As explained in the next section, both focus on individuals’ thinking rather than their behavior, but they have distinctly different implications for teaching.”….

Social Constructivism: assisted performance

“Unlike Piaget’s orientation to individuals’ thinking in his version of constructivism, some psychologists and educators have explicitly focused on the relationships and interactions between a learner and other individuals who are more knowledgeable or experienced. This framework often is called social constructivism or sociocultural theory. An early expression of this viewpoint came from the American psychologist Jerome Bruner (1960, 1966, 1996), who became convinced that students could usually learn more than had been traditionally expected as long as they were given appropriate guidance and resources. He called such support instructional scaffolding—literally meaning a temporary framework like the ones used to construct buildings and that allow a much stronger structure to be built within it. In a comment that has been quoted widely (and sometimes disputed), Bruner wrote: “We [constructivist educators] begin with the hypothesis that any subject can be taught effectively in some intellectually honest form to any child at any stage of development.” (1960, p. 33). The reason for such a bold assertion was Bruner’s belief in scaffolding—his belief in the importance of providing guidance in the right way and at the right time. When scaffolding is provided, students seem more competent and “intelligent,” and they learn more…..

"Model" Beliefs About Learning Development Frameworks/Research Learning How to Learn

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What is the Basis for a Teacher’s Beliefs About Learning

by Fran

I’m starting my answer to this question with a “model” of learning that has had a significant influence on my learning and teaching since the 1980’s: Authentic Learning.

Authentic Learning: An instructional design framework for authentic learning environments J. Herrington University of Wollongong, janherrington@gmail.com R. Oliver Edith Cowan University, r.oliver@ecu.edu.au

https://ro.uow.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=https://www.google.com/&httpsredir=1&article=1031&context=edupapers Excerpts

“Abstract: The instructional technology community is in the midst of a philosophical shift from a behaviorist to a constructivist framework, a move that may begin to address the growing rift between formal school learning and real-life learning. One theory of learning that has the capacity to promote authentic learning is that of situated learning…..”

“There have been several attempts to use the findings of the research into contextualised learning to design a model of instruction….. However, it was Brown, Collins and Duguid (1989b) who developed a focus for the theory of situated cognition or situated learning and produced a proposal for a model of instruction that has implications for classroom practice. Collins (1988) defines situated learning as: ‘the notion of learning knowledge and skills in contexts that reflect the way the knowledge will be useful in real life’ (p. 2)….”

“research aims The purpose of this research was to determine the possibility of applying a model of instructional design based on the theory of situated learning to the design of a multimedia learning environment for The university students, and to investigate students’ responses to that learning environment.” Their original intent for this article, but my focus in on the background of the Authentic Learning Model.“…

…”usable knowledge is best gained in learning environments which feature the following characteristics. Situated learning environments:“ How can these situated theories be operationalised?’ (Brown & Duguid, 1993, p. 10)… Brown, Collins and Duguid (1989b), in their original article presented a nascent theory of situated learning which has the potential to provide a theoretical basis for a new framework for multimedia design and development. From the start they suggested that their model was the beginning of the process of developing a theoretical perspective for successful learning that cognitive science had, to date, not been able to explain. The challenge put to researchers was to identify the critical aspects of situated learning to enable it to translate into teaching methods which could be applied in the classroom. In response to this challenge, a practical framework for the design of learning environments was produced. Essentially, current literature suggests that usable knowledge is best gained in learning environments which feature the following characteristics. Situated Learning:

Provide authentic context that reflect the way the knowledge will be used in real life (e.g., Brown, Collins, & Duguid, 1989; Collins, 1988; Gulikers, Bastiaens, & Martens, 2005)

Provide authentic activities (e.g., Brown, Collins, & Duguid, 1989; Cognition and Technology Group at Vanderbilt, 1990; Jonassen, 1991; Young, 1993)

Provide access to expert performances and the modelling of processes (e.g.,Collins, Brown, & Newman, 1989; Lave & Wenger, 1991)

Provide multiple roles and perspectives (e.g., Bransford, Sherwood, Hasselbring,Kinzer, & Williams, 1990; Honebein, Duffy, & Fishman, 1993; Lave & Wenger, 1991; Spiro, Feltovich, Jacobson, & Coulson, 1991)

Support collaborative construction of knowledge (e.g., Bransford, Sherwood,Hasselbring, Kinzer, & Williams, 1990; Brown, Collins, & Duguid, 1989)

Promote reflection to enable abstractions to be formed (e.g., Boud, Keogh, &Walker, 1985; Norman, 1993)

Promote articulation to enable tacit knowledge to be made explicit (e.g., Lave &Wenger, 1991; Pea, 1991; Vygotsky, 1978)

Provide coaching by the teacher at critical times, and scaffolding and fading of teacher support (e.g., Collins, 1988; Collins, Brown, & Newman, 1989; Greenfield,1984; Harley, 1993)

Provide for authentic, integrated assessment of learning within the tasks (e.g.,Gulikers, Bastiaens, & Kirschner, 2004; Herrington & Herrington, 1998; McLellan,1993; Reeves & Okey, 1996; Young, 1993, 1995).

"Model" Beliefs About Learning Classrooms and Context Collaborative Learning Metacognition

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Meta Connections online

by Fran

I came across a blog on my email and thought it was a good match for my work on Metacogntion.

I believe that the following blog post on Edutopia of Giving Student Voice and Choice by Rebecca Alber reflects many of the Meta Learning Foundations:

Meta Learning Foundations: Learning to Learn Blog
This P.O.R.T.A.L.S. Lesson Plan format is based on five foundational beliefs.
(1) Students are capable of learning to direct their own learning.
(2) Learning is situated in particular contexts and is best when motivated by authentic goals and outcomes.
(3) Learning is most successful when it addresses both the strengths and challenges of individual learners.
(4) Students learn about something (concept/idea/skill/process) and use a variety of cognitive and affective processes to accomplish that learning.
(5) Building a learning community in the classroom/school benefits all learners.
http://www.edutopia.org/blog/five-strategies-more-voice-choice-students-rebecca-alber
“Two educational theorists who inform my thinking about co-constructing knowledge are Vygotsky and Freire. Both saw learning as a social act, where teachers and students dialogued and all created knowledge together, rather than teachers filling the students with content and information as if they were empty vessels”
(5) Building a learning community in the classroom/school benefits all learners.

#1) Stuff We Want to Know About
“Brainstorm an on-going class list of “stuff” they want to know about and are interested in — a phenomena, an event, a law, for example. If you are a science, math, or history teacher, you can ask that it be about those topics, but I also encourage you to have it be about anything (and then you can find connections to content later). Inquiry is a skill all teachers should build regardless of content..”
(1) Students are capable of learning to direct their own learning.
(2) Learning is situated in particular contexts and is best when motivated by authentic goals and outcomes.

#3) Assessing Their Needs & Wants
”We should never underestimate the power of the five-point Likert scale as a quick, quantitative measure to see where students are. You can create several statements for a unit of study to gauge student interest first, and then their understanding and experience with the content, materials, activities….”
(3) Learning is most successful when it addresses both the strengths and challenges of individual learners.

#4) Think-Alouds
Model for students your learning as you read aloud an article on a current event or a topic of study. For example, as you read, pause, asking questions and making comments and connections to things you already know or even things you’ve explored as a class. Then have students do the same with a partner, then eventually in groups of three or four. For high school students, I like Kelly Gallagher’s Article of the Week he uses with his high school students. Building the prior knowledge of students is also part of our job — and not just knowledge about the content we teach, but also about the world.
(4) Students learn about something (concept/idea/skill/process) and use a variety of cognitive and affective processes to accomplish that learning.

#5) Project Options & Self-Grading
“When we think about how this sounds, “You will have several projects to choose from,” instead of, “You will create a tri-fold poster…” it might remind us that no matter the age, we all like to have choices especially when it comes to demonstrating our skills and abilities….”
(1) Students are capable of learning to direct their own learning.