G. Lehmann-EDAT 6115

Description : Even the most capable and talented teachers know that in order for students to maximize and deepen their learning, they will need to take on some of the “heavy lifting” of the learning experience. Constructivist theories recognize that students need to be given opportunities to discover, explore, and apply new knowledge (Slavin, 2018). Students need to take an active role in instruction through student-centered strategies such as cooperative learning and problem solving. While the teacher is removed from the center of instruction, her role is still vital to  design meaningful and relevant activities and provide the appropriate “scaffolding” so that all students are able to engage in the learning. Designing an activity that is within a student’s “zone of proximal development” requires consideration of Vygotsky’s theories of social learning and Piaget’s stages of cognitive development (Slavin, 2018). Analysis: Much emphasis has been placed on student-centered learni...

Description : Chapter 2 in Educational Psychology: Theory and Practice (12th edition) by Robert Slavin (2018) explains theories of development in children. This is an important consideration of effective instruction in K-12 education. Teaching should be developmentally appropriate, understanding that it will be necessary to differentiate instruction to meet the needs of individual learners in the classroom who will be at different developmental stages. The chapter explores the theories of Piaget, Vygotsky, and Bronfenbrenner, including where these theories differ and where they may overlap. The chapter ended with an examination of language and literacy development as it is one of the most important aspects of development. Analysis: It is essential for teachers to understand how children grow and develop physically, emotionally, and intellectually in order to facilitate effective learning, and much research has been conducted about this topic. The theories of two psychologists, Jean P...