Cognitive Development Theory Essay Example for Free

Cognitive Development Theory Essay As a prospective educator, it is important for me to understand the cognitive development theory and how it applies to individuals. Cognitive development is basically how the thought process begins. It is the way that people learn and how mental processes become elaborate and develop. These processes include remembering things, making decisions, and also solving problems. In order for a teacher to be effective, one must understand how children develop mentally so that each student can be accommodated in the classroom. There are many theories regarding cognitive development, and there are several factors that remain constant throughout all of them. These factors form some of the basic premises on cognitive development, which include the ideas that all people go through specific steps or stages of learning or understanding, and that certain qualifications must be met before learning can occur. It is the actual specifics of these basic premises that cognitive theorists have differing opinions about. (Slavin, 2009) Two theorists that display the basic premises of cognitive development are Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky. Both theorists have similarities and differences when it comes to their views on cognitive development. We will first begin with the views of the two on the nature or development of intelligence. Piaget believed that children are naturally born with the ability to both interact with and make sense of their environment. Children as well as adults use patterns of thinking called schemes to deal with different things in the world. The process of assimilation and accommodation is used to maintain balance in our daily lives. Piaget believed that â€Å"learning depends on the process of equilibration. When equilibrium is upset, children have the opportunity to grow and develop. † (Slavin, 2009, pg. 32) Different experiences that we face and factors in our environment contribute to developmental change in us. Vygotsky shared some similar ides with Piaget including the belief that the environment plays a huge role in the development of intelligence. He also believed that â€Å"development depended on a sign system, the cultures language or writing system, that children grew up with. â€Å"(Slavin, 2009, pg. 2) Both also believed that there is an invariant sequence of steps that is the same for everyone, and that development is influenced by cognitive conflict. While the two share a few similarities on the development of intelligence, there are also differences as well. Piaget feels that development precedes learning. This simply means that something must take pace before learning can begin. Vygotsky, on the other hand, feels that learning comes before development which is the exact opposite of Piaget. It simply means that you must learn something before development can occur. Piaget and Vygotsky also had both similarities and differences on the stages of development. We will first start with the differences beginning with Piaget who believed that there are four stages to cognitive development. They are the sensorimotor, perioperational, concrete operational, and formal operational. He felt that all children passed through these stages and that you could move faster than others, but not skip a stage. (Slavin, 2009, pg. 33) The sensorimotor stage occurs at birth through two years of age. It is the stage where infants explore their environment using the five senses and motor skills. This includes sucking, grasping, and touching. The perioperational stage is from two to seven years old. Language develops at a fast pace in this stage. At this time the childs thinking is also very self centered, and they lack the understanding of conservation. The concrete operational stage is from ages seven to eleven. At this time, thinking tends to shift from being self-centered to more logical. Problem solving is no longer restricted and the idea of reversibility also occurs. The last and final stage is the formal operational stage. This happens beginning with the age of eleven moving on into adulthood. Systematic experimentation is used to solve problems both symbolic and abstract thinking are now possible in this stage. Vygotsky felt that there was not stages, but different elements to cognitive development. The first element is private speech. â€Å"Private speech is a childs self talk, which guides their thinking and actions, eventually internalized as silent inner speech† (Slavin, 2009, pg. 43) When children are struggling with a difficult situation you often see children talking to themselves to help cope with the situation. When we become adults we still talk to ourselves, but it is usually silent. The next element of cognitive development is the zone of proximal development or ZPD. â€Å"This is the level of development immediately above the persons present level. † (Slavin, 2009, pg. 43) To better understand, this can be described as something that the child may not have learned yet, but are capable of being taught with the assistance of an adult. Educators often refer to this as a â€Å"teachable moment†. (Slavin, 2009, pg. 43) Now that we can see the differences between the two theorists, we can now explore the similarities between the two. Both heorists understand the importance of a child learning a cultures sign system. They both feel that this has a significant impact on development. The two also agree that environmental factors such as sounds, signs, and objects are equally important. Lastly, the two theorists believe that there are some tasks that a child may not understand depending on age, but Vygotsky feels that if it is in the zone of proximal develo pment then the child can be assisted with the help of an adult. Educators have been using both Piaget’s as well as Vygotskys theories in the classroom for years. An example of an activity that can be used in the classroom using Piagets theory of learning takes place in a kindergarten class. The teacher would ask the students to share what they do when it is raining outside. At this age we are in the perioperational stage where children tend to be egocentric. Some say that they go outside and jump in mud puddles while others may say that they stay inside and play with their toys. The children would share their experiences and they would all be correct because not everyone does the same thing. You can use Vygotskys theory of learning in at work in the classroom where third grade students are learning how to classify different types of dirt. You can place the students in groups where they can discuss how you properly classify the dirt. This will allow the students to hear other students thoughts, and see what methods they use to classify. Using this type of cooperative learning allows the students to learn from each other. When comparing both classroom applications we see that both classrooms are working as groups learning from each other. Piaget theory is seen in both classrooms. In the kindergarten classroom, the classroom is seeing that there are different ways to deal with the rain. The students are sharing their personal experiences and showing that there is no wrong answer. There are many ways of doing things . In the third grade classroom, the students are able to classify the dirt using touch and sight to see and feel the differences in each type. Both classrooms are interacting with the environment and learning from it. Vygotskys cooperative learning is also being played out in both classrooms. In the kindergarten classroom, the students are learning that there are different activities that can be done outside in the rain. Similarly, in the third grade class the students are using cooperative learning to find different ways of classifying dirt. In both classrooms the students are using the think out loud process. The differences in the two classrooms also stand out. When applying Piagets theory in the kindergarten classroom, you see that the students are in the perioperational stage. The students are egocentric and feel that what they say is the only right answer to the question. In the third grade class, the students are in the concrete operational stage. They are able to easily look at and see the differences in the types of dirt that they are working with. When it comes to Vygotskys theory in the kindergarten classroom, the students are working within their zone of proximal development. The students may not understand that they can do more than one thing in the rain because they have done the same thing every time. The teacher is using this as a teachable moment to allow the students to teach each other the different things that can be done. In the third grade class, on the other hand, private speech is being used. The students are saying their thoughts out loud to classify the dirt. When the students are using cooperative learning they are learning the different ways in which the other students use to classify the dirt. In conclusion, we can see how and why it is important to understand and know how to apply cognitive development theories in the classroom. Both Piaget and Vygotsky played major roles in how we teach our children in todays world. We can use information and skills from both theorists to shape our students into great learners.

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Throughout history, many different types of economic models and theories have been developed. These different philosophies of business often were an important and integral part of a government’s basic structure. For example communist countries like China and the Soviet Union practiced a type of socialism. While, democratic nations like the United States and Canada practice forms of capitalism. Also within these economic models exists different theories as well such as Keynsian economics and laissez faire economics. To understand how these types of economies work in the world today, it is important to study and define a variety of economic systems. Researching such economic systems as capitalism and socialism, and also looking at the ideas of laissez faire and the Keynsian economics, a person will start to have a better understanding of how business works in the world today. One of the most common major types of economic systems in the world today is capitalism. In its simplest terms, capitalism can be defined as an economic system in which a country’s trade and industry are run by private organizations for profit. So within capitalism major industries such as manufacturing, energy, banks, transportation, medicine and more are not run by the government. The earliest forms of capitalism can be traced to the 17th century English Puritans who possessed a strong work ethic that focused an importance on productive labor. Modern capitalism is said to have started in the mid-18th century with the birth of factories. Factory owners were able to maximize wealth by making goods that were in-demand and also by streamlining labor. For capitalism to work. supply and demand is typically unregulated by government. It is based on the f... ...omy. For example, China is considered a communist government. However for their economy to exist in the world market, some private ownership and factories have been allowed to exist with government oversight. And the United States while considered a capitalistic society has such institutions as public schools, energy, medicare, and services which all share in and benefit from equally. All economic systems also have their pros and cons. For example, Capitalism has been accused of ignoring the individual in pursuit of profit. While socialism does not reward the entrepreneur with wealth, but often punishes the rich with crushing taxes. In the end, the best way to understand how economies work in the world today is to research each ones basic history and definition. In this way a person can make an informed decision on what economic system they believe works best

A Game of Polo with a Headless Goat

A Game of Polo with a Headless Goat Background This extract comes from a book which was written as a spin-off from Emma Levine’s television series about strange and unusual sports. It is a travelogue (a book which describes travel in a foreign country) in which she describes these sports, the people involved and her experiences of filming them. In doing so, she gives an insight not just into the sports themselves, but into the lives and culture of the people who take part in (and watch) them. Understanding the text Emma Levine’s purpose in writing her book was to describe and inform. She obviously has to engage and hold the reader’s interest. As you study this text, you need to think about how she does this. On the surface the passage seems a straightforward description and narrative of the race, but it isn’t. First of all, there is not just one race happening, but three: ? The donkey race ? The spectators’ race ? The writer’s race to get the best pictures Emma – a jornalist – wanting to capture the epic moment of the race Yaqoob – a unskilled driver (danger) – he love the risk that donkey race give him Iqbal – partner/ helper – was send to find our who was the winner of this race Plot During a seven-year journey around India spent immersing herself in the cricket subculture, author Emma Levine heard about the wonderful game of buzkashi, a kind of anarchic rugby on horseback where teams of men wrestle and race to grab a headless goat and propel it towards goal. This sparked a desire to explore Asia's unique traditional sports. A Game of Polo with a Headless Goat is Emma Levine's absorbing account of her epic adventure, which took her from camel wrestling in Turkey through bull racing in India to traditional gymnastics in Iran, performed to poetry and the beat of a drum. Sometimes she travelled so far off the beaten track that her journeys sometimes took days and she discovered places where western women are such a rare sight that she was mobbed ( ) by onlookers. And everywhere she went she met people who act as the guardians of their ancient sports, protecting the traditions that have evolved over generations. While they recount the folklore that surrounds their local pastimes, Emma Levine examines the status of indigenous sports in a world dominated by satellite TV, the web and the likes of Manchester United. Are they sports of the past or sports of the future? Illustrated with stunning photography, A Game of Polo with a Headless Goat evocatively portrays sporting ways of life rarely seen in the western world in such a way as to reveal what it is about sport that makes it so universally inspiring. What can I say about language? Most newspaper reports of sports races are serious in tone, and try to give the facts of the race and what it was like. Emma Levine’s purpose is much more complicated. In this passage there is a real mixture of the comic and the serious, with a lot of information given as well. You need to consider each part of it carefully. The passage can be defined as a series of linked paragraphs, describing events in a sequence of time and concluding with the end of the race and the writer’s overview of what happened. The internal structure is much more complex than this simple outline suggests Pharagraph by pharagreph Paragraph 1-3 / Build up Paragraph 1 – Optimism, author promotes her own, Yaqoob and Iqbal’s excitement. ‘We’ll open the car boot †¦ we’ll join the cars. ’  ? Brief description of what will happen and Levine’s expectations. Builds immediate excitement and enthusiasm for race and the reader’s expectation of instant action. Works effectively with Paragraph 2 – Contrast in tone between â€Å"The two lads†¦suddenly fired up with enthusiasm† in which Levine narrates the creation of new enthusiasm within locals (her guides) to reflect on the reader and the rest of the paragraph Use of â€Å"eternity† – hyperbole to exaggerate impatience and derived emotions such as boredom â€Å"the only action was †¦ gazed around at us. † Hopeless tone, at the point of giving up, is a let down to the reader The contrast emphasises the climax in paragraph 7 Paragraph 3 – Alternatively, Levine builds hope and optimism in paragraph three, â€Å"coming, coming† the locals replied Line 12: â€Å"I was beginning to lose faith†¦ lads remained confident† holds elements of first hand pessimism/ loss in faith and witnessed optimism in the form of reassurance. The effect creates suspense further building the impact of the Climax. Paragraph 4 & 5 / Climactic Beginning Paragraph 4 – Climax appears as an explosion of activity Choice of diction  Ã¢â‚¬Å"revved† prominent v sound creates imagery and the impression of speed. Develops the moment of frisson  () Change in tone from  narrative to informative and factual, now not narrating their journey but provoking the reader’s interest. â€Å"The Kibla donkey is said to reach speeds of up to 40kph† â€Å"Although not cruelly† at the end of paragraph four seems out of place, this is where Levine reveals that she is conscious of her effect on travelers and corrects the imagery she has introduced. She protects the culture and the tradition in order to promote () the sport and the traditions. Paragraph 5 –  Change in punctuation to speed up the pace of Levine’s writing, overall generating excitement. She begins to use lists and triads (â€Å"horns tooting, bells ringing, and the special rattles used just for this purpose†) and again incorporates an informative tone in order to introduce different aspects of culture. Long, disjointed sentences imitate the excitement, pace and disorder of the event: â€Å"men standing on top of their cars and vans† Paragraph 6 / Levine Enters Race Use of analogies like â€Å"Formula One† (fast-paced, seemingly chaotic), â€Å"City center rush hour† relates to reader and creates understanding of speed and â€Å"anarchic† disorder. Paragraph 7 Illustrates danger in order to provoke different kind of excitement,   â€Å"Survival of the fittest†Ã‚  ? Creates a life and death situation, introduces the  animal, hunt theme. Choice of diction creates a sense of importance, desperation and danger. e. g. â€Å"Depended† creates a sense of necessity Animal theme:  Ã¢â‚¬Å"sharp flicks† â€Å"quick reflexes† â€Å"nerves of steel† all phrases associate with an animal during a chase or a hunt. All instinctive. â€Å"Horn† could be interpreted as a pun – car horn or animal horn/ impression of danger, competition, tension even battle â€Å"Yaqoob loved it. Tone is enthusiastic, describing the fun, excitement. Link to ending. â€Å"Growing more colourful† Euphemistic impression of tension Paragraph 8 / End of Race Levine describes scenery() to reflect the atmosphere. â€Å"Road straightened and leveled† Tone is calmer, pace has been slowed, longer sentences, wider distr ibution of punctuation. Effective ending â€Å"The race was over. † Mixture of long sentences with short blunt ending implies immediate end of race and excitement. Paragraph 9 / Another Beginning â€Å"I assumed the winner was the one who completed the race but it was not seen that way by everyone. Emphasis on alien culture and traditions, so exotic that even common reasoning differs. â€Å"Voices were raised, fists were out and tempers rising† Levine reuses lists and triads to speed up the pace, rebuild the excitement lost at the end of the race. Ending Irony, incorporated humour to reflect on the reality of the danger. Links back to â€Å"Yaqoob loved it. † Where the tone was still expressing shared enjoyment and fun, new realization and understanding is born to recreate an adapted impression of the entire extract

Worldviews in Conflict - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 4 Words: 1081 Downloads: 2 Date added: 2017/09/11 Category Advertising Essay Did you like this example? Worldviews in Conflict: Summary and Critique Worldviews in Conflict: Summary and Critique I agree with the introductory quote by Will Durant: â€Å"From Barbarism to civilization requires a century; from civilization to barbarism needs but a day. † It is always much easier to destroy something (in this case, civilization), than it is to create it. In general, there is very little effort required to demolish something; but building it up takes a conscious effort, passion and burden. It involves a great deal of work! It is, therefore, very easy to understand how civilization can be destroyed in a day. Simply sit back and do absolutely nothing, save watch the walls topple, so to speak. It is true that the world is divided more so by â€Å"religious and cultural traditions† than by physical boundaries. â€Å"Religious belief is one of the most divisive issues. If we are to unite under a government of the people and by the people it must be a government separate from the issues that strongly divide us to which there is no concrete or moral truth. † (Crook, n. d. ). I think the problem with the increasingly complex worldviews in conflict is, as Aristotle said, â€Å"All men naturally desire knowledge. † (Seldes, 1960). Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Worldviews in Conflict" essay for you Create order This hunger for knowledge leads men astray when they look to the wrong, worldly sources for information, instead of looking to the Word of God for Truth! I also agree with the statement that â€Å"Christians regard the Western tradition and heritage as worth defending; that is, to the degree that historically it has been shaped by a Biblical worldview† (Colson, 1999, p. 2). We are fortunate to live in a country, such as the United States of America, that was founded upon Christian principles. We should be careful never to take our heritage for granted, for it has shaped us into who we are today, as individuals. Without our rich history, we certainly wouldn’t be who we are, or where we are today. â€Å"In America, apparently, calling a person an atheist is as bad as calling her a child molester. † (Stenger, 2009, p. 23). God bless America! The life we live before others is possibly the greatest testimony one could have. It isn’t always necessary to preach to be an effective witness of the Gospel. I believe the world more readily accepts our lifestyle as a witness than our words. This is yet another important reason to know what your personal worldview is, and to truly live it! Because Asians associate the West with Christianity, the flood of smut from the West is making his Christian witness [as a missionary] difficult. † (Colson, 1999, p. 1) I am one of the (hopefully many) Christians who oppose the moral relativism worldview. Truth is not relative; Truth is God’s perspective, as recorded in John 17:17: â€Å"Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is tr uth. † (King James Version, italics mine. ) When we fail to realize that God’s Word is true, and God is absolute, we are opening countless doors of opposition. I have struggled with the enlightenment notion myself because I find it hard sometimes not to believe that human nature is essentially good. The truth of the matter is, due to the Adamic fall, we are all inherently evil, sinful people – until we allow God to transform us, that is. Once that happens, we take on His nature and are no longer creatures of sin. Our past failures are forgiven and washed away by the precious Blood of the Lamb and we become godly men and women. We must, however, make a daily, conscious choice to walk in the path of holiness or we can very easily become entangled with the bondage of sin again. Galatians 5:1, warns us against this very thing:†Be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. † (KJV. ) It is interesting to note the origin of the word â€Å"Prometheus† (as cited as one of the publishers in my reference page). According to the ‘cultural dictionary,’ â€Å"Prometheus  has  become  a  symbol  of  lonely  and  valiant resistance  to  authority. † We need to be careful what we allow to enter our minds. Make a conscious choice to read godly, edifying books that will promote the Kingdom of God, not tear it down by creating doubt and confusion in our minds. Studies in neuroscience have shown that the human brain treats vividly imagined events and real ones almost identically. † (Parsley, 2007, p. 34). If you think your videogames, daydreams, television shows, horror movies, murder mysteries, romance novels, etc. , are harmless because they are all â€Å"fantasy† – think again!! When you don ’t know what you stand for, it is easy to be persuaded to change your beliefs. Without a solid foundation, anything goes. I am personally thankful for my Biblical convictions, and knowledge of the Truth for being established on the Word of God. I know what I stand for and I am unshakable in my beliefs! We must know what we believe, and why. Only then can we teach others and obey the Great Commission given in Matthew 28: 16-20 to go and teach ALL NATIONS; teaching them to obey the Word of God. According to Strong’s Greek 5083, observe means â€Å"to guard†. Thus, Jesus commands us to: â€Å"Teach them [all nations] to observe [to guard] all things whatsoever I have commanded you. † We are horribly failing the Great Commission when we sit idly by allowing opposing worldviews to materialize, spread, and eventually even dominate. Christians must not continue to remain silent. It is high past time to spread the Gospel; our worldview! While the task at hand seems challenging, we must be encouraged. We know how the story ends we are victorious through Jesus Christ! References Boston, R. (1993). Why so many church-state problems? Why the religious right is wrong about separation of church and state  (2 ed. , pp. 25-26). Buffalo, NY: Prometheus Books. Colson, C. , Pearcey, N. (1999). Worldviews in conflict. How now shall we live? (pp. 19-26). Wheaton, Illinois: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.. Parsley, R. (2007). Why worldviews matter. Culturally incorrect: How clashing worldviews affect your future (pp. 34-35). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson. Prometheus. (n. d. ). The American heritage ® new dictionary of cultural literacy, third edition. Retrieved July 26, 2010, https://dictionary. reference. com/browse/Prometheus. Seldes, G. (1960). The great quotations  (Second printing ed. ). New York, NY: Lyle Stuart, Inc. 1960. Stenger, V. J. (2009). The new atheism: Taking a stand for science and reason. Amherst, NY: Prometheus Books. Crook, B. M. (n. d. ). Welcome to ‘one nation’. One nation. Retrieved July 26, 2010, from https://bmccreations. com/one_nation/index. html.