Assignment
To prepare:
A. Read the following scenario:
a. As a 3-year-old, Mateo was afraid of Santa Claus, believed his shadow was following him, and expected that all adults knew his name. He could sing the ABC song and count by rote to 10. By the time he was 8 years old, Mateo loved sitting on Santa's lap, used his hands to make shadow characters, and was able to disagree with a friend without getting upset. He could read simple text and add, subtract, and multiply.
B. Now, think about the scenario from Piaget's point of view and then from Vygotsky's. What do you think each would say about how Mateo's developmental changes came about? From Piaget's point of view, specifically consider development in the preoperational and concrete operational stages and the concept of egocentrism. From Vygotsky's point of view, consider the Zone of Proximal Development and the adult's role in providing cultural knowledge.
Task
Contrast Piaget's theory with Vygotsky's theory. Describe how Piaget and Vygotsky differ in their views about how cognitive development progresses. In your Assignment, be sure to use the example from the lead-in and this week's Learning Resources, especially Chapter 9, "Cognitive Development in the Preschool Years," as well as this week's media resources. Your paper should include the following:
• Provide a brief overview of the main concepts of Piaget's and Vygotsky's respective theories of cognitive development. Within the overview, provide a clear explanation of the differences between the two theorists' approaches.
• Describe the adult's role in the cognitive development process from the point of view of each theorist.
• Explain Mateo's developmental progress from the point of view of each theorist. Be sure to include the relevant stages of development from Piaget's theory, and Vygotsky's foundational concepts, as you discuss Mateo's behavior.
• Summarize your point of view on this topic, informed by this week's Learning Resources.