Several psychologist have contributed much of their lives to research in depth how our cognitive development of abilities occurs.  Jean Piaget, Lev Vygotsky, and B.F. Skinner are three influential and well-known researchers who shared the passion of their own theories on how humans learn.  The study of these three theorists describe a foundation of ideas that can help educators better understand student learning and behaviors. 

Jean Piaget’s theory of knowledge was often misunderstood by many.  Piaget was compared to empiricists because he talked about objects.  However, he stated that object are nothing unless we do something with them.  Then he was compared to an innatist, like Chomsky, who gives importance to action.  Again, Piaget reminded others that our actions are only carried out on objects.  Therefore, he came to the conclusion of constructivism, where knowledge is not ready made, it must be constructed.  Knowledge is an assimilation or interpretation of an experience.  Piaget believed conservation is not achieved or constructed until 7-8 years old because younger children are not able to think abstractly.  Structure, a child’s coordinated ability, is what a child knows what to do and not what he thinks.

               

Along the same time period, there was Lev Vygotsky who was working to understand the cognitive development of learners.  His work continues to significantly impact the education as we know it in the United States.  Vygotsky’s most well-known and influential educational philosophy today is the zone of proximal development in reading.  ZPD is the gap between the child’s level of actual development determined by independent problem solving and the level of potential development determined by problem solving supported by an adult or through collaboration with more capable peers.  My campus uses the ZPD within our online reading programs to advance children from the independent level of learning, their comfort zone, to the potential level of learning.

               

Finally, B.F. Skinner researched and practiced his theory of operant conditioning.  Operant conditioning is the belief of reinforcing students with tangible and intrinsic rewards will increase independent learning patterns and behaviors.  Many stressed that operant conditioning is a behavior-management theory and strategy, Skinner believed that all actions of learning are found within oneself.