What are the similarities between Piaget and Vygotsky theories?
IntroductionJean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky are known for their enormous contributions to the field of education through their works in developmental psychology. The two psychologists were contemporaries and are frequently compared to each other in relation to their theories and approaches. Both of the scholars have made a significant impact not only on the development of psychology but on education as well. Their contributions are still influential and are widely discussed in today. In this paper, the similarities and differences between the theories and approaches of Piaget and Vygotsky will be discussed. Show
Our experts can deliver a customized essay 308 qualified specialists online Learn more Summary of the TheoriesPiaget and Vygotsky contributed to the way modern educators understand the learning and cognitive processes of children. Even though the approaches of the two psychologists are different, they provide a firm ground for modern practitioners to develop teaching strategies. Piaget’s understanding of development is based on his constructivist theory where he differentiated between various stages of development. In Piaget’s theory, the child is the main facilitator of the learning and cognitive processes. At the same time, Vygotsky’s theory takes social interactions and learning as the basic components that determine the development of the child. DifferencesAccording to the view of Piaget, the cognitive development a child undergoes between the periods of infancy and youth can be divided into four main stages – sensorimotor (from 0 to 2 years old), preoperational (2 to 7 years old), concrete operations (7 to 11 years old), formal operations (11 years old to adulthood) (Comparing Piaget and Vygotsky, n. d.). Piaget theorized that development had an end as well as a beginning. Vygotsky’s understanding of the cognitive development of children relied on the concept of social learning and collaboration (Malone, n. d.). That way, the psychologist believed that the accomplishments a child would achieve collaborating with other learners or a supervisor were much greater than those a child would make learning alone (Malone, n. d.). Therefore, the most noticeable difference between the two theories is the theorists’ views on how and by whom the learning is facilitated – autonomy versus collaboration (Lourenço, 2012). In Piaget’s constructivist approach, a learning child is viewed as an independent actor who interacts with the environment, obtains, and interprets information autonomously, and is the constructor of their learning (Lourenço, 2012). According to Vygotsky’s social development theory, the cognitive growth of a child is seen as a collaborative process that requires the participation of other individuals and social interactions as necessary conditions enabling the learning process. SimilaritiesThe fundamental similarity between the two theories is their exploration of development as the basis for learning (Lourenço, 2012). Both Piaget and Vygotsky focused on the transition from one form of cognition or memory to another and attempted to explain the causes and processes that enable development (Lourenço, 2012). Moreover, it is important to mention that even though one of the theorists emphasized solitary learning, and the other one favored the collaborative one, they both agreed that an individual exists inseparably from their environments and social interactions (Lourenço, 2012). In addition, Vygotsky and Piaget’s perspectives on the human intelligence and consciousness were rather similar due to their non-reductionist point of view. In other words, both theorists believed that intelligence and consciousness were the forms of adaptation and organization and could not be seen as combinations of reflexes (Lourenço, 2012). On-Time Delivery! Get your 100% customized paper Let`s start What Can Be Gained by a Better Understanding of the Theories?Lourenço (2012) connects the different orientations of Piaget and Vygotsky (autonomy and heteronomy) to their ultimate worldviews and states that the theorists’ idea concerning the origins of knowledge dictated their scholarly arguments. That way, Piaget perceived knowledge as coming from within a person and can be gained autonomously, whereas Vygotsky believed that knowledge comes from without and thus required social interactions (Lourenço, 2012). Overall, analyzing the two theories one may notice that Vygotsky’s approach is grounded on the concept of authority that is viewed as the source of knowledge. That way, the theorist assumed that the knowledge possessed by the supervisors is the “correct” or “necessary” one. At the same time, Piaget’s approach, even though it is based on rigid categories and stages, provides more freedom to a child as an autonomous learner relying on individual and independent interpretations of the situations and environments without being limited by the “right” or “wrong” information judged by the adults based on their own perspectives. The two approaches have multiple supporters and opponents today, and neither can be considered better than the other. Emphasizing the two different ways of obtaining knowledge and exploring their benefits, Piaget and Vygotsky provide a substantial basis for contemporary educators to combine both approaches in modern education. To date, some of the most progressive educational programs attempt to combine carefully weight combinations of tasks and strategies for autonomous and guided learning. ConclusionJean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky have immensely contributed to the fields of child development and psychology, which in turn, impacted education. To this day, their impacts are significant and meaningful. The approaches of the two theorists are similar as they emphasize the process of cognitive development in children but differ in the perspectives on the origins of knowledge. These days, the works of both theorists serve as the basis for the creation of harmonious curriculums incorporating both approaches. ReferencesComparing Piaget and Vygotsky. (n. d.). Web. Lourenço, O. (2012). Piaget and Vygotsky: Many resemblances, and a crucial difference. New Ideas in Psychology, 30, 281–295 Malone, D. (n. d.). Jean Piaget vs. Lev Vygotsky: Differing views in cognitive development. Web. What is the similarities between Piaget and Vygotsky?Some similarities between Piaget and Vygotsky were both believed children were active learners in their own development. Both also believed development in learners would decline as they grew older. Piaget and Vygotsky both believed egocentric speech played a role in cognitive development, but in different ways.
What areas of Piaget and Vygotsky theory are similar and different?The fundamental difference between Piaget and Vygotsky is that Piaget believed in the constructivist approach of children, or in other words, how the child interacts with the environment, whereas Vygotsky stated that learning is taught through socially and culturally.
What are the similarities and differences between Piaget's and Vygotsky's views of language acquisition?The key difference between Piaget and Vygotsky is that Piaget believed that self-discovery is crucial, whereas Vygotsky stated that learning is done through being taught by a More Knowledgeable Other.
How Vygotsky's theory of development relates to Piaget's theory?Vygotsky's Sociocultural Theory of Development became a major influence in the field of psychology and education (Woolfolk, A., 2004). This theory stated that students learn through social interactions and their culture – much different from Piaget's theory that stated children act on their environment to learn.
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