Jean Piaget
Bruner & Postman
Lev Vygotsky
Jean Piaget (1896-1980), a Swiss psychologist, identified four distinct stages of cognitive development - sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operations and formal operations - that children go through as they grow and learn. These stages illustrate Piaget's beliefs about how children's thinking evolves as they interact with their environment. Each stage lays the foundation for the next, marking significant developments in cognitive abilities
(Sprouts, 2018).
Lev Vygotsky
Bruner & Postman
Lev Vygotsky
Russian psychologist Lev Vygotsky (1896–1934) developed the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) which demonstrates the difference between what learners can do without help and what they can achieve with guidance and encouragement from more knowledgeable others (teachers, peers, etc.). The instructional strategy designed to support students in achieving a higher level of understanding is known as scaffolding
(Sprouts, 2020 Feb).
Bruner & Postman
Bruner & Postman
Bruner & Postman
Jerome Bruner (1915-2016) , an influential American psychologist, contributed significantly to educational psychology and emphasized the idea that learning is an active process of prediction, creation and invention. Bruner, along with Leo Postman (1918-2004) conducted a study demonstrating that our social environment significantly influences our perceptions, cognitive functioning and way in which information is processed
(Sprouts, 2020 Jan).
Albert Bandura
Bruner & Postman
Bruner & Postman
Social cognitive theory was presented by Albert Bandura (1925-2021) explaining that learning happens through observation, imitation and social experience. Learners monitor and adapt their behaviors based on outcomes in the notion of agency, and they demonstrate self-efficacy - their own confidence in their ability to perform tasks which influence their motivation and tenacity. These two elements lean to active participation and constructivism
(Cherry, 2024).
Cognitivism & Instructional Learning Design
Cognitivism implies that learning design must focus on actively engaging learners through providing structured information so that they can connect new knowledge with existing, encouraging them to be an active participant rather than just a recipient (Bates, 2022).
Cognitive load theory takes this a step further as a model focusing on the limitations of working memory so as to design instruction with minimal distractions and unnecessary cognitive load while learning (Instructional, 2022).
Implications & Limitations
While these theories go beyond behaviorism by acknowledging the internal mental processes and the importance of how individuals actively process information, it can neglect social and cultural contexts, and the challenges of measuring cognitive processes.
In my chosen instruction design context, language learning training for educators and trainers, taking into consideration cognitive load is essential when creating material for immersion learning. It is important for learners to quickly understand complex concepts and apply them to practical use.
New vocab & grammar --> sensory memory --> working memory --> long-term
However, over-emphasis on rational thought processes can overlook the emotional influence on learners and their individual desire to either learn a language or teach another learner a language. Additionally the social and cultural context of language learning and teaching are key to keeping learners motivated and interested, which can be lacking in the cognitivism approach.