Olivia Reece-Grant
EDU 40
Vygotsky vs Piaget
Jean Piaget was a Swiss developmental psychologist and philosopher best known for his epistemological studies with children. His theory of cognitive development and epistemological view are together called "genetic epistemological". He declared in 1934 that only education is capable of saving our societies from possible collapse, whether violent, or gradual.
Lev Vygotsky's main work was in developmental psychology, and he proposed a theory of the development of higher cognitive functions in children that saw the emergence of the reasoning as emerging through practical activity in a social environment. During the earlier period of his career he argued that the development of reasoning was mediated by signs and therefore contingent on cultural practices and language as well as on universal cognitive processes. Vygotsky also posited a concept of the "Zone of proximal Development" often understood to refer to the way in which the acquisition of new knowledge is dependent on previous learning, as well as the availability of instruction.
The main comparisons between the theories are, they exerted great influence on the theories of psychology, human development and education. Both discussed the processes involved in the development of language, cognitive learning style and mental abilities. Both offer suggestions on how educators can use their understanding of the developmental process to enhance their approach to teaching.
The main differences between the theories are Vygotsky believe that development is primarily driven by language, social context and adult guidance while Piaget believe that development takes place in distinct stages of cognitive development. Adults influence is involved but the child is building their own thinking systems. Vygotsky came first. He stressed social development. His major ideas included the zone of proximal development and scaffolding, internalization, and the rules of play. Piaget stressed four stages in cognitive development: Sensory motor, pre-operational, concrete operational, and formal operational.
In conclusion both Theorist Piaget and Vygotskys placed great importance on the development and education of children.
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