Cognitive psychology

Cognitive psychology is concerned in how learning is a constructive process. Constructivism is the central theory of Cognitive psychology and is based on the idea that students don’t soak up information like a sponge, as is hypothesised in behaviourism, but students construct information depending on what they already know. http://psychology.about.com/od/cognitivepsychology/f/cogpsych.htm

Cognitive perspectives reflect that other factors help to build learning. This leads to differing understandings of knowledge. Cognitive psychology also takes into account mentalist factors such as a students personal motivation, their personal background such as cultural and family values, differing learning styles that respond to different stimulus and forms of presentation, as well as social interactions and opportunities.

Jean Piaget http://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/genpsypiaget.html is one of the most famous Cognitive psychologists and his Stages of development theory http://ehlt.flinders.edu.au/education/DLiT/2000/Piaget/stages.htm are at the core of the Constructivism. http://www.thirteen.org/edonline/concept2class/constructivism/index.html Piaget’s Four stages of development outlines how a child acquires knowledge from birth to the age of 12 and onwards. His theory reflects an individual construction of knowledge in a child mind through experience with the world. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yhXjJVFA14&feature=related

Russian psychologist Lev Vygotsky also formulated a theory of constructivism, however Vygotsky’s theory places it focus on social and cultural influences. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hx84h-i3w8U
Vygotsky concentrated his work on how our surroundings influence and shape our understanding of the world and how we process knowledge. In short “You are only s smart as your surroundings” (Kalantzis, M, Cope, B, 2008, p153)


For more information see:

• Piaget vs. Vygotsky: The Cognitive Development Theory

What does this mean for your classroom?

Cognitive Psychology reflects the diverse learning environment we face in our classrooms today. As teachers we must take into account that students in today’s classrooms reflect many different learning styles, different background and different values. Their learning is affected by their personal feelings of motivation, self-esteem and cultural perspectives.

This diversity of students requires teachers to create an authentic learning environment. In order to provide this, teachers must have an understanding of these cognitive stages and design their classrooms and lessons to provide opportunities for students to engage in meaningful learning of their own creation.

Ways to create a authentic learning dialogue:

1. Provide opportunities for collaborative learning

2. Provide a supportive learning model that guides students to their own understandings of a topic

3. Challenge students to exceed their current knowledge base

4. Account for the individual difference in your classroom. Vary teaching and learning methods.

5. Provide motivation- the only way to get someone to do something they don’t want to do, is to help the to want to do it.