Educational applications of Bandura, Piaget, Gissell, Erikson, and Vygotsky - Research Paper Example

Educational Applications of Bandura, Piaget, Gissell, Erikson, and Vygotsky at Early Childhood Sites (Preschool To2nd Grade) Institution: Course: Date: Early childhood education is the fundamental stage of learning that equips learners with the prerequisite skills and knowledge that will enable them develop cognitively to obtain more knowledge and understanding from their environment. Thus, the stage is crucial as its the determinant of whether learners will progress and expand their knowledge of the surrounding or not. Research has shown that learners who did not undergo effective foundation educations in preschool programme are prone to be less cognitive compared to their counterparts who went through a comprehensive preschool program (Gestwicki, Bertrand, & Gestwicki, 2012). The mind of children especially those in the stage where they are introduced to learning concepts are very navigating are exploring thus they are supposed to be given an opportunity to explore their curiosity and in the end they will develop both mentally and cognitively (Follari, 2007). The psychology of children is not inferior to that of adults it is only that children have limited line of thinking within which they level of understanding is limited (Pound, 2011). Theories about the manner in which children learn and acquire knowledge at their tender age however they at some point tend to conflict with each other since they were advanced by different people who conducted their research at different historical times and under varied circumstances (Robinson & Jones-Diaz, 2006). However, they whole tend try to explain the fundamental issues concerned with child psychology that influences the manner in which children acquire knowledge and understanding of things (Morgan, 2011). Bandura Bandura took a behaviorist approach in advancing his thoughts on how children in preschool as he believed the manner in which children developed mentally and cognitively was generally based on their behaviors. Bandura indicates that learning for children is a gradual process which continues perpetually throughout one’s life (Pound, 2011). Even after maturity the learning process goes on as a mature person continues gathering new knowledge and skills from his/her surrounding or from formal education in schools. Development in children is regarded as a conditional behavior which is special in nature as in the manner in which a particular child behaves determines how he/she develops mentally and cognitively (Mooney, 2013). The behaviors that children develop according to Bandura are not inherited from their kins they are due to the child’s interaction with his/her immediate environment that makes a child behave in a manner that he/she does so (Gestwicki, Bertrand & Gestwicki, 2012). Bandura in his theory tends to focus much on the observable behaviors that are depicted by children openly and as a result he argues that these behaviors come up as a result of the children imitating the behaviors of those that are in their immediate environment for instance their parents, caregivers or their peers (Robinson & Jones-Diaz, 2006). Thus, the influence of the surrounding on the children is important than what the very children are made to learn in a formal setting. Since the cognitive system of children is not yet developed they will tend to imitate what those in their surrounding does and in the long run they will have acquired the behaviors which are similar to them (Follari, 2007). Thus, it is prudent for parents and caregivers to maintain a high level of behavioral integrity as it will be most probably be imitated by the children. For instance if a caregiver is always moody and cold to people the child will grow up to imitate and later implement that behavior as the environment in which that particular child was brought up influenced him/her to be that way (Mooney, 2013). Based on this theory so as to ensure children grow up in a holistic way parents and caregivers who will be rearing the children as they grow up should embrace moral behaviors which are desirable so as to ensure the children as they will be learning emulate good behaviors which will help them develop into responsible people. Piaget Piaget, on the other hand, opted for a psychosocial approach in advancing his theory on how learning in children in influenced by culture and society. Piaget’s approach argued that personality of children develops through a number of stages before a certain personality trait can be identified to a certain child. The personality development is however not isolated as a process it is influenced by the surrounding of that particular child. The influence normally comes from members of the family, friends, peers and caregivers who often interact with the child. Piaget classified the stages of personality development into four notable stages as explained below. Sensor-motor stage is the initial stage of personality development, and it occurs to children from age zero to about two years. This stage is characterized with a significant growth in the manner in which a child thinks as well as how he/she uses physical objects and other things in the surrounding to explore their world better. The second stage is concrete operation stage which occurs to children between the ages of two to seven years (Gestwicki, Bertrand & Gestwicki, 2012). This is mainly middle childhood, and thus the children will strive to align themselves with the considerable growth that has taken place in them (Pound, 2011). Moreover, they develop a sense of logical thinking where they utilize physical objects to help them prove the correctness of their thoughts. For instance, they will solve simple mathematical problems with the use of their finger or counting sticks. Formal operation is the final stage, and it stretches from age twelve to the entire lifespan of a person (Robinson & Jones-Diaz, 2006). Here the children are grown and can embrace a more abstract mode of thinking as they can solve complex problems iteratively within their minds (Follari, 2007). Children are active learners who are very curious to gather more knowledge from their surrounding by exploring new things. The adventures of children may appear silly from a layman’s observation by psychologist argue that the petty things that children do are indeed great adventures as they seek to expand their knowledge and understanding of their environment (Pound, 2011). Based on Piaget’s theory children assimilate knowledge from their surrounding and cultural practices. Thus, culture should be incorporated in learning of children to ensure they acquire knowledge of their culture and all that concerns the environment in which they live in. Gessel Gessel was concern on the process of maturity in children and thus decided to take a maturation approach in explaining how children advance in their learning at their tender age. Gessel argues that the biological process of growth and development do not just happen in the abstract nature they take place in stages and sequences which are orderly one preceding the other (Follari, 2007). If a close observation was taken on a child when he/she was six months old and when he/she was a year old there are notable differences that will be spotted not only in growth but also mental and cognitive development. Gessel came up with a genetic timetable that indicates at what rate children will tend to develop depending on their genetics (Robinson & Jones-Diaz, 2006). For instance, if two children with different genetical composition are placed under similar conditions they will tend to mature at different rates. Some distinction will be noted when the development of the two children is observed closely (Gestwicki, Bertrand & Gestwicki, 2012). In addition, this theory is not consistent with another previous theorist who argued that if children are placed under similar conditions they will tend to develop similar characteristics since they are influenced by the same conditions. However, Gessel argues the difference that comes up from the two children is based on their genetics and not the external surrounding in which the children are exposed to (Robinson & Jones-Diaz, 2006). According to Gessel the process of maturity takes place in phases thus the education of children should be designed in a manner that they are taught simple concepts initially as they progress to more complex concepts in line with the maturation of the children’s brain. The model will ensure the children get the best out of want they are taught as it will be fashioned to fit their maturation and development cycle. Erickson The theory advanced by Erick Erickson was cognitive in approach and was founded on the changes that occurred in children in the manner in which they reasoned. Just like other theorist indicated children are active learners who are ready to explore their surrounding and thus they will tend to depict a qualitative improvement in their thinking over time since as time progresses they gain new ideas and knowledge which enhances the manner in which they view things. Erickson identified eight stages that children undergo through their lifetime (Gestwicki, Bertrand, & Gestwicki, 2012). Each stage is viewed as a challenge, which needs to be solved by reasoning out. By solving the inherent problems that are in each stage the child will develop both socially and emotionally (Follari, 2007). The stages, however, are not only meant to develop the children only they also come with negative effects also. So it is tentative is the stages will impact positively or negatively on a particular child as this solely depends on how he/she responds to the situation at hand. Further, the manner in which children respond to the situations in various stages is not only dependent on their cognition but also is influenced by the surrounding in which they grow up in for instance the influence from their parents, caregivers and even peers matters (Follari, 2007). Erickson argues that the reasoning capacity of children appreciates with time, based on this; teachers of children in preschool up to the age of two should be able to discern when they think the children have matured psychologically and present complex concepts and problem solving situations that fit their level. This will ensure whatever content is dispensed to the children is within their ability and to ensure they challenge them a little bit to enhance critical thinking. The result from this concept is that children will be more challenged to seek more knowledge from their surrounding through creativity and curiosity thus enabling them to get the best out of their learning process. Lev Vygotsky Lev Vygotsky advanced a social-cultural theory which assumed a psychosocial approach. In his theory, Lev Vygotsky argues that personality trait in children develops through stages and hence they do not assume an instantaneous process. The development of personality is not an isolated process that occurs cognitively it is influenced by the immediate surroundings of the child that includes family, friends and caregivers. Lev Vygotsky came up with four stages, which he argued that the process of conception development undergoes. The initial stage is basically children thinking in undefined heaps (Gestwicki, Bertrand & Gestwicki, 2012). This is the stage where conceptual development commences and commonly children utilize problem-solving techniques to find solutions to the situations in their surroundings. The next stage is thinking in complex stage, here children will begin to make connections with objects in their surrounding and connecting them with meanings. However, it is not advanced as they do it in a shallow manner. Thinking in the concept stage is the next step where the mental composition of children had developed and thus they can think in a more abstract manner (Follari, 2007). Here they can analyze situations and make assumptions out of them with ease. The final stage is where children can understand the true concepts of nature and can manipulate them with critical thinking and analysis. Vygotsky argues that children can only advance in their knowledge by being assisted by those within their surroundings. However children possess their own cognitive capabilities which enable them to learn new things the contribution of people within their proximity only serves to help them advance their knowledge on the concepts that they already have acquired by themselves (Gestwicki, Bertrand & Gestwicki, 2012). Based on Vygotsky’s school of thought concerning the development of personality in children it is evident that the process takes several stages before a certain trait can be identified to a particular child. The learners should be taken though a refinement learning process throughout their preschool education to ensure desirable traits and characteristics come out of their learning process. This will help curriculum developers to design childhood education in a holistic manner to ensure the children do not only acquire knowledge from the learning process but also important values that will help grow into responsible people in the society. Therefore, the various theories concerning learning in children have provided a good insight for those responsible for education in children as they will help in developing techniques that will ensure the children are taken through a credible process that will ensure they gain much from the learning process. That notwithstanding the theories aid the tutors to understand child development more precisely and hence enable them to come up with the best teaching methods that will ensure knowledge assimilation is at its best for the children. References Follari, L. M. (2007). Foundations and best practices in early childhood education: History, theories and approaches to learning. Upper Saddle River, N.J: Prentice Hall. Gestwicki, C., Bertrand, J., & Gestwicki, C. (2012). Essentials of early childhood education. Toronto: Nelson Education. Mooney, C. G. (2013). Theories of childhood: An introduction to Dewey, Montessori, Erikson, Piaget, and Vygotsky. Morgan, H. (2011). Early childhood education: History, theory, and practice. Lanham, Md: Rowman & Littlefield. Pound, L. (2011). Influencing early childhood education: Key figures, philosophies and ideas. New York: Open University Press. Robinson, K. H., & Jones-Diaz, C. (2006). Diversity and difference in early childhood education: Issues for theory and practice. Berkshire, England: Open University Press. References Hitt, M., Ireland, R. D., & Hoskisson, R. (2012). Strategic management cases: competitiveness and globalization. Cengage Learning. Read More