Term
| Why might they claim that Piaget was both right and wrong about the nature of cognitive change in the second decade? |
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Definition
| The idea of an "immaculate transition" to a singular cognitive structure is not supported due to evidence supporting a range of reasonsing skills that vary among kids - reading skill less consistent. Also debunked by microgenetic research.
However, they support Piaget in that a change DOES exist, especially in the development of metacognition amd executive control. |
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Term
| What are the major cognitive abilities that develop during the second decade? |
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Definition
| Metacognition; high order thinking & executive functions like planning, stragegizing, organizing |
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Term
| What accounts for increased variability in children's cognitive skills during the second decade (vs. infancy and childhood)? |
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Definition
| Blooming and pruning of neuronal pathways account for variability.
As we get older we display gene and environment interaction though our search of situations that are consistent with our internal structures. The ones we seek are strenthened (bloom), while ones we ignore become weaker (pruned). |
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Term
| What did they mean that it's DISPOSITION, as much ore more than competence, that ought to be the focus of those concerned with supporting adolescents' intellectual development? |
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Definition
| We should focus on disposition types in order to promote competence. These dispositions include a curiosity for learning about the world, emphasize "active" vs. "passive" genotypes |
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Term
| What are the 4 main priorities for new research in cognitive development in the 2nd decade of life? |
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Definition
1. Need to conduct studies in less artificial environments and study adolescent cognition in the contexts that teens devote their time/interests to.
2. Measure adolescent's ability to decontextualize
3. Continued study on disposition, especially in order to determine developmental pathways that may be predicted by specific dispositions.
4. Study the extremes of adolescence so we can understand adults! |
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Term
| Describe the overlapping waves view of cognitive development that often appears in studies using the microgenetic strategy.
What are the implications of this for Piaget's account? |
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Definition
| Development is seen as a constructive web or as a series of overlapping waves, rather than a sequence of qualitatively distinct steps.
An overlapping use of progressively more advanced strategies in the acquisition of skills occurs (e.g. kids counting - fingers, counting in head)
More efficient skills were persevere over time; development may be more gradual rather than "immaculate" |
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Term
| What are the implications of the finding that the "good enough" environment theory is apprently not good enough to support universal attainment of certain cognitive capabilities? |
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Definition
| To assure attainment of cognitive capabilities, more deliberate training in certain skills is needed. We can't assume that exposure to a non-detrimental environment is sufficient! |
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Term
| Why might they prefer some form of discovery learning to direct instruction?
Identify 3 reasons. |
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Definition
| Discovery learning implies active participation, and thus more involvement.
1. Metastrategic understanding increases with discovery learning and may not be accessed when following an instruction.
2. If a strategy is learned in direct instruction, the individual may not be able to generalize the learned strategy when they resume control of their own behavior.
3. Inquiry as a complex, multifaceted activity; thus, to assure studies are involved in "authentic" science, it's whole integrity and all phases of inquiry must be respected. |
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