the rebirth of childrens learning

Introduction to Children’s Learning

• Learning is a central aspect of children’s lives, yet it has been underexplored in cognitive development fields.

• Recent advances in theory and methodology are revitalizing interest in how children learn.

• Emphasizing children’s learning can lead to practical applications in education and a deeper understanding of cognitive development.

Historical Context

• Historically, the focus in developmental psychology shifted from learning to thinking due to the cognitive revolution and Piaget’s theory.

  • Piaget emphasized active construction of knowledge (development) over passive learning.

  • This distinction led to skepticism toward the importance of learning processes, causing a decline in studies on children's learning.

• By the mid-1970s, published works on children's learning had significantly decreased due to the focus on cognitive development.

The Need for Learning Studies

• Children’s learning is critical, as their developmental period is characterized more by learning new skills than by performance.

• Today, children remain dependent on learning for acquiring capabilities necessary for future tasks.

• Any comprehensive theory of development must include aspects of children's learning.

New Research Directions

• A growing number of researchers from various theoretical backgrounds (e.g., neo-Piagetian, cultural contextualist, dynamic systems, information processing) are investigating children’s learning.

• Current research targets meaningful skills like object permanence and scientific problem-solving rather than artificial tasks.

• Despite differences in theories, findings on children's learning have shown notable similarities, indicating strong regularities.

Emerging Theories of Learning

• Increased precision and diversity in theoretical proposals have arisen:

  • Information Processing Approaches: Highlight connections between various models (connectionist vs. symbolic).

  • Sociocultural Approaches: Emphasize the incorporation of cultural values and teaching methods in learning.

  • Neo-Piagetian Theories: Suggest organization of new information around existing conceptual structures.

  • Overlapping Waves Theory: Children use various strategies, which coexist and shift in usage over time.

Overlapping Waves Theory

• Based on three core assumptions:

  1. Multiple strategies are typically employed by children.

  2. These strategies coexist over time, not just during transitions.

  3. Experience influences reliance on existing strategies and the growth of advanced ones.

• Children demonstrate variability in strategy use, illustrating cognitive diversity across ages and individuals.

Dimensions of Learning

• Overlapping Waves Theory defines four dimensions of learning:

  • Acquisition of New Strategies: Involves conscious and unconscious learning through different problem-solving methods.

  • Increased Reliance on Advanced Strategies: As a strategy becomes more effective, its use increases.

  • Adaptive Strategy Choices: Children fit strategy choices to specific demands over time.

  • Improvement in Performance: Execution of strategies improves with practice, reducing errors and increasing speed.

Microgenetic Methods for Studying Learning

• Microgenetic methods focus on observing children during periods of rapid competence change.

• Key properties include:

  1. Continuous observation during change.

  2. High-density sampling to capture changes.

  3. In-depth analysis of emerging competencies.

• These methods are essential for understanding learning processes in detail, revealing complexity and nuance in cognitive changes.

Key Findings from Recent Studies

• Change is generally gradual rather than abrupt.

• New strategies may emerge during periods of success as well as failure.

• Initial variability in strategy use correlates positively with later learning rates.

• Discovery of new strategies is guided by conceptual understanding—children generate plausible strategies based on their knowledge context.

Educational Implications

• Understanding children’s learning can yield significant insights for educational practices.

• Rigorous analysis of learning processes helps illustrate difficulties in school contexts including reading and math.

• For effective learning, strategies like asking students to explain both correct and incorrect answers can be beneficial.

Conclusion

• Renewing emphasis on children's learning overlaps crucially with development theory.

• Acknowledging the interconnectedness of learning and development can enhance educational frameworks and child outcomes.