Evaluation on Piaget's theory of cognitive development

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P - there is research support for the existence of the zone of proximal development (Roazzi and Bryant)

Ev - gave 4-5 year olds the task of estimating the number of sweets in a box. In one condition they worked alone, another they worked together with help of an older child. The children working alone, failed to give a good estimate where as in the other condition the children successfully mastered the taks

Ex - suggests that the zone of proximal development is a valid concept

P - there is further evidence for the idea of scaffolding (Connor & Cross)

Ev - found that the level of help given by an expert partner declines during the process of learning, as predicted by scaffolding

Ex - means that adult assistance with children’s learning is well described by the concept of scaffolding

P - Vygotsky’s concepts have useful applications to education (peer tutoring)

Ev - Alborz et al concluded that teaching assistants are very effective at improving the rate of learning inchildren

Ex - this means that Vygotsky’s ideas have value in real-world settings