Cognitive Development

Cognitive Development (Ch. 3) Analysis Questions:
1. From the perspective of Piaget's theory, in which stage of cognitive development is Laura? Justify your response.

I believe that Laura is in the Formal Operation Stage because she can come up with her own hypothesis and support it with logic. She is able to think it through systematically, but she seems to be somewhat stuck on her own opinion. She seems to be struggling with a little bit of egocentrism. Laura doesn't appear to see what other solutions could possibly work besides her own. She also isn't necessarily grasping all of the factors behind the implications of just getting rid of gasoline entirely.

2. How is Laura's reasoning affected by her knowledge base--that is, by what she does and doesn't know about pollution? Use terminology from Ch. 3 in your response.

Laura only has a specific amount of information on pollution. She has made a schema for pollution and doesn't know how to assimilate or accomodate anything else into her schema. She is not encountering the disequilibrium required in order to accomplish true learning. Instead she appears to be only focusing on her opinion, forcing herself further and further into her egocentrism.

3. By posing a series of questions, Mr. Marculescu continually challenges Laura to reconsider her thinking about the pollution problem. What are potential benefits of this strategy? Use terminology from Piaget's and Vygotsky's theories in your response.

By Mr. Marculescu questioning Laura so intently, he is encouraging Laura to engage in propositional logic of her argument. Mr. Marculescu is asking Laura if her argument is really logical and consistent with reality. Not only is he encouraging her to use that mental logic, but he is encouraging her to use all mental operations in the Formal Operational Stage. According to Vygotsky's theory Mr. Marculescu is promoting Laura to move outside of her Actual Development Zone into her Zone of Proximal Development. By encouraging her to go a little bit outside of the bubble, she can learn more from his questioning. By being the superior individual, he can help her to learn things that she wouldn't have been able to learn on her own. She also has his assistance so she can actually learn.

4. How does this scenario represent Piaget's and Vygotsky's conceptions of play?

Piaget and Vygotsky's conceptions of play are represented through the questioning process. Piaget is represented because it is a form of self discovery, Laura is learning by forming her own opinion. Vygotsky is represented because it is a superior individual helping to lead an individual into a high level of learning.