1.Identify the main tenets of a theory of cognitive development.
2.Examine a cognitive ability, such as memory, attention, or thinking, across the lifespan.
3.Examine a topic of lifespan development connecting research and life.
Introduction
During Week Two, your journey into lifespan development will continue with an examination of how cognition (i.e., perception, attention, memory, thinking) changes across the life cycle. Specifically, you will learn about cognitive development according to Piaget and Vygotsky and the similarities and differences between their theories. In addition, you will examine evidence and controversies surrounding theories of cognitive development, information processing approach and its application to human development, and the changes throughout the life span in attention, memory, and thinking (including metacognition).
Required Resources
Required Text
1.Read from the text,Essentials of Lifespan Development: A Topical Perspective:
?Chapter 5: Cognitive Development ?This chapter reviews traditional theories of cognitive development.
Multimedia
1. Intelecom. (2006). Piaget's concrete operational stage revisited [Video file]. Retrieved from http://searchcenter.intelecomonline.net/playClipDirect.aspx?id=4870EEC7664070BBE995401AB5C129A18684B857DDB6E4E8627FEC27BDD2FB8257374DD465A9FE79B9B4C9A0ABDACAAE
?This video provides an introduction of Piaget's work on cognitive development during childhood.
2.Korf, M. (Producer). (2001). Remembering and forgetting [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.learner.org/series/discoveringpsychology/09/e09expand.html
?This video provides an illustration of the information-processing view, which focuses on the mental process of retrieval of past information.
Required Resources
Articles
1. Beilin, H. (1992). Piaget's enduring contribution to developmental psychology. Developmental Psychology, 28(2), 191-204. Retrieved from the EBSCOhost database.
?This article offers a critical analysis of Piaget's work.
2.Diachenko, O. M. (2011). On major developments in preschoolers' imagination. International Journal of Early Years Education, 19(1), 19-25. Retrieved from the EBSCOhost database.
?This article illustrates how scientific evidence may alter existing views of cognitive development.
3.Gallagher, C. (1999). Lev Semyonovich Vygotsky (1896-1934). Retrieved from http://www.muskingum.edu/~psych/psycweb/history/vygotsky.htm
?This article provides an overview of a seminal theory of cognitive development.
4.Presnell, F. (1999). Jean Piaget (1896-1980). Retrieved from http://www.muskingum.edu/~psych/psycweb/history/piaget.htm
?This article provides an overview of a seminal theory of cognitive development.
Discussions
To participate in the following discussions, go to this week's Discussion link in the left navigation.
1.Cognition Development Across the Lifespan
Before completing this discussion, review Chapter 5 of your text as well as the Piaget's Concrete Operational Stage Revisited video. You may also want to review the following recommended resources: "Piaget's Enduring Contribution to Developmental Psychology," "On Major Developments in Preschoolers' Imagination," "Lev Semyonovich Vygotsky (1896-1934)," and "Jean Piaget (1896-1980)" articles, After examining the research in human development, choose and complete one of the following options:
Option A: Piaget's theory on cognitive development has contributed a unique perspective to our understanding of how children think, reason, and solve problems. Examine and identify the main tenets of Piaget's theory of cognitive development (i.e., schema, assimilation, and accommodation) describing them in your own words.
Examine the cognitive factors Piaget presents in relation to human development. Briefly identify and describe his stages of cognitive development by illustrating the cognitive tasks that infants, children, or young adults are capable (or not capable) of performing.
Alternatively, instead of describing the stages, you may create a chart in which the abilities that define cognitive development in Piaget's theory are plotted against the age at which they are acquired. Identify at least one aspect of Piaget's theory that has been criticized and mention the evidence upon which this criticism is based.
Option B: Vygotsky's theory of cognitive development has contributed a unique perspective to our understanding of how children think, reason, and solve problems. Examine and identify the main tenets of Vygotsky's theory of cognitive development (i.e., zone of proximal development, scaffolding, relationship between language and thought) describing them in your own words. In addition, you will need to examine the cognitive factors Piaget presents in relation to human development. Briefly identify and discuss Vygotsky's view of cognitive development by illustrating the cognitive tasks that infants, children, or young adults are capable (or not capable) of performing. Identify at least one aspect of Vygotsky's theory that has been criticized, and mention the evidence upon which this criticism is based.
Your initial post must be at least 300 words and use a minimum of one scholarly source located in the Ashford University Library or on Google Scholar that is cited and referenced according to APA style, as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
Guided Response: Review several of your classmates' posts. Provide a substantive response to at least two of your peers in a minimum of 200 words. Respond to a post that examines Vygotsky's theory of cognitive development and one that examines Piaget's theory. Identify at least one aspect/factor that makes these theories different. Report the scientific evidence that supports one theory over the other for the aspect/factor you selected.
2.Information Processing Across the Lifespan
Before completing this discussion, be sure to review Chapter 5 of your text and the Remembering and Forgetting video. You may also be interested in the article "On Major Developments in Preschoolers' Imagination," from the recommended resources. After examining the research in human development presented in your required resources, complete the following discussion:
Information processing in the human mind/brain changes as we age. Identify and examine an aspect of the cognitive factor of human development. Choose an ability (i.e., memory, attention, or thinking) and describe how the selected ability changes from infancy to old age. Describe at least one disorder that may affect the selected ability and its typical time of occurrence across the lifespan. Explain the known causes of the disorder by citing the available scientific evidence.
Your initial post must be at least 300 words and use a minimum of one scholarly source located in the Ashford University Library or on Google Scholar that is cited and referenced according to APA style, as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
Guided Response: Review several of your classmates' posts. Provide a substantive response to at least two of your peers in a minimum of 200 words. Respond to a post that examines ability different from the one you selected and one that examines the same ability. Discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the content of each post. Be sure that you cite scientific evidence to support your views.