Jerome Bruner (Cognitive Development & Constructivist Theory)
Jerome Bruner (Cognitive Development & Constructivist Theory)
Jerome Bruner (Cognitive Development & Constructivist Theory)
Enactive
(0 - 1 years)
This appears first. It involves encoding action based information and
storing it in our memory. For example, in the form of movement as
a muscle memory, a baby might remember the action of shaking a
rattle.
Symbolic
(7 years onwards)
This develops last. This is where information is stored in the form of a
code or symbol, such as language. This is the most adaptable form of
representation, for actions & images have a fixed relation to that which
they represent. Dog is a symbolic representation of a single class.
The use of words can aid the development of the concepts they
represent and can remove the constraints of the “here & now”
concept. Basically, he sees the infant as an intelligent & active
problem solver from birth, with intellectual abilities basically similar to
those of the mature adult.
Educational Implications
For Bruner (1961), the purpose of education is not to impart
knowledge, but instead to facilitate a child's thinking and problem
solving skills which can then be transferred to a range of situations.
Specifically, education should also develop symbolic thinking in
children.
Discovery Learning
The concept of discovery learning implies that a learner constructs his or
her own knowledge for themselves by discovering as opposed to being told
about something.
According to Bruner, the teacher should facilitate the learning process by
developing lessons that provide the learner with information they need
without organizing it for them.
This idea of discovery learning is often referred to as constructivism,
which emphasizes the active role of the learner in building understanding
and making sense of information.