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Theories Of Learning And Development Essay

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While Vygotsky, Skinner, and Piaget have undoubtedly influenced theories of learning and development, they share similarities and differences in their views of child development. It would hence be useful to examine these by evaluating their views regarding what development is, how it occurs, and whether phases of development exist. It is important to first establish Vygotsky, Piaget, and Skinner’s views regarding what development is. Piaget and Vygotsky have more similarities in their views of what a child’s development is compared to Skinner, as both are primarily concerned with a child’s cognitive development. Piaget examines how children grow in their mental representations of the world through the processes of assimilation, adaptation, and equilibration in ways that lead to qualitative changes in their mental schemas (Siegler, 1998). This concern with a child’s mental interactions with his environment is a key focus in Piaget’s cognitive theory of development. Similarly, Vygotsky (1978) states that his ‘primary concern is to describe and specify the development of those forms of practical intelligence that are specifically human’ (p. 23), and therefore centers his study on the development of cognitive activity in children. Moreover, both Piaget and Vygotsky believe that cognitive development involves a gradual shift towards having an ability to mentally work out problems and plan one’s actions. Piaget believes that in the preoperational stage, children are

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