Vygotsky, Bruner, and Beyond - Wednesday Class, 11/29

This week our discussion focused on Vygotsky, Bruner, and Gardner and interactional theories of learning. We compared and contrasted Vygotsky's theories with Bruner's, worked in small groups to discuss discovery learning, watched a video that outlined four tenets of Vygotsky's work, and wrapped up class working on Gardner's teaching for understanding.

What came out of the small group discussions on discovery learning were some consistent ideas of what discovery learning is. The groups reported that discovery learning must have a clear learning objective, as Bruner found that the concept of discovery was mistaken in practice to be an end in itself, regardless of what was actually "discovered" by students. The student should arrive at, or "discover" the answer, with the teacher acting as a facilitator and modelling the process of inquiry. The end goal of discovery learning, in addition to concept attainment, should be that the learner comes to value self-reward and is motivated to learn because of the joy of discovery. Also, reflection is a critical step in the process in order to solidify learnings for students and highlight the process of learning for them. Deb gave the example of a lab in which students are given a battery and different materials to test conductivity. While the lab creates an opportunity to discover what materials are conductive, it is the reflection discussion after the activity in which the concept of conductivity is arrived at. And as classmates gave examples of what they learned over break, it became evident that observation, reflection, and analysis are consistently critical steps in learning.

The video on Vygotsky outlined four main points of his theory that helped to synthesize our reading.

1). Children construct knowledge.

2). Knowledge can lead development. Unlike Piaget, who believed that stages of development precede knowledge attainment, Vygotsky felt that learning can start the process of development. A student's zone of proximal development, or the gap between what she can do unassisted and what she can do with assistance, can be used to to promote development.

3) Development cannot be separated from social context. There are two levels on which we process information, and it is one's social and cultural context that reinforces the first level of learning and thus causes the learner to internalize the sign and move to the second level of symbolic understanding.

4) Language plays a central role in mental development. Language is the medium that carries learning to the mind.


Finally, we spent some time discussing teaching for understanding and explored an interactive website at: teaching for understanding

In discussing what we understand, many of the examples generated pertained to action, or things that we do. Developing this understanding was often the result of interaction, whether it was through following directions, having a teacher, or peer learning. To demonstrate understanding, there should be a transfer of information, whether you are able to teach others or apply the concept in another context.

Best wishes on your final projects!

Kate M.