HIGHER ORDER THINKING
Vygotskian Slogan: "The intermental constructs the intra-mental."
In the world of cognitive psychology, there is important literature on basic cognitive processes like attention, memory, and concept formation and representation. Similarly, there is also important literature on higher order cognitive processes (“Middle Childhood,” p. 336), which “make use of the outputs from basic cognitive processes” (“Middle Childhood,” p. 336).
In light of this, higher order cognitive tasks involve reasoning, decision-making, problem solving, and thinking (“Middle Childhood,” p. 339) as well as academic skills such as reading, writing, and arithmetic (“Middle Childhood,” p. 369). Regarding each of these tasks, the information that has been previously received, processed, and stored by basic cognitive processes gets used, combined, reformatted, or manipulated by higher order cognitive processes (“Middle Childhood,” p. 339).
Here, Vygotsky encouraged the developments of high-order thinking and problem solving in education. That is, Vygotsky believed that, if situations were designed such that students can utilize their critical thinking skills, they would be able to gain new knowledge. In addition, knowledge, by way of experience, also plays a role in shaping individual behavior (Dahms, n.d., para. 8). That is, Vygotsky argued that, "learning is a necessary and universal aspect of the process of developing culturally organized, specifically human, psychological functions" (Dahms, n.d., para. 20). That is, learning produces the development of high-order thinking.
In addition, the productive effort in the zone of proximal development (ZPD) occurs as much in the interaction between the adult and the child as it does in the child’s internal processes. Adults, peers, and cultural tools can help the child during the cognitive change, but the joint production must exist for the cognitive change to happen. In the interdependence of social activity, children can acquire higher order thinking (Hausfather, 1996, para. 17).
Lastly, when it comes to technology use in the classroom, Vygotsky’s approach to learning applies in that technology can be a medium by which task-related interactions can occur in the classroom by way of having students work in groups, utilizing their higher order thinking skills. In all, technology, as a significant cultural tool, can augment and enhance social dynamics (Connell & Charles, n.d., para. 15), allowing for higher order thinking.
In all, Vygotsky believed that learning leads to the development of higher order thinking (Blake & Pope, 2008, p. 60). That is, when the cultural signs become internalized, humans acquire the capacity for higher order thinking (Blake & Pope, 2008, p. 61).
Activity: Discussion Questions
Please respond to one or more of the following discussion questions:
1. What is your experience regarding putting the Vygotskian approach into practice in your classroom?
2. Discuss a situation in which the Vygotskian approach would not work (well) in the classroom?
3. Why does there seem to be value and merit in the Vygotskian approach in the classroom?
4. Determine whether the Vygotskian approach works (well) in classroom settings comprised of students from different religious, cultural, and ethnic backgrounds as well as with different learning needs, styles, and accommodations.
5. Discuss whether the Vygotskian approach could be extended to workplace situations outside of the education system (i.e., the classroom).
Please respond to one or more of the following discussion questions:
1. What is your experience regarding putting the Vygotskian approach into practice in your classroom?
2. Discuss a situation in which the Vygotskian approach would not work (well) in the classroom?
3. Why does there seem to be value and merit in the Vygotskian approach in the classroom?
4. Determine whether the Vygotskian approach works (well) in classroom settings comprised of students from different religious, cultural, and ethnic backgrounds as well as with different learning needs, styles, and accommodations.
5. Discuss whether the Vygotskian approach could be extended to workplace situations outside of the education system (i.e., the classroom).
To respond to any of the above discussion questions, please click on the button.
References
Blake, B. and Pope, T. (2008). Developmental Psychology: Incorporating Piaget’s and Vygotsky’s Theories in Classrooms. Journal of Cross-Disciplinary Perspectives in Education. Vol. 1, No. 1, 59 – 67. Retrieved from http://jcpe.wmwikis.net/file/view/blake.pdf
Cognitive Development: Infancy through Adolescence. (n.d.). Chapter 11 Middle Childhood. Higher-Order and Complex Cognitive Skills. Retrieved from https://uk.sagepub.com/sites/default/files/upm-binaries/35104_Chapter11.pdf
Connell, S. & Charles, P. (n.d.). Lev Vygotsky (1896 - 1934). Pepperdine University: Online Masters in Educational Technology. Retrieved from http://cadres.pepperdine.edu/omcadre6/BookProject/vygotsky.htm
Dahms, M. et al. (n.d.). The Educational Theory of Lev Vygotsky: an analysis. [DOC]The Educational Theory of Lev Vygotsky: an analysis - AiZ
Retrieved from vygotsky and high-order thinking
Hausfather, S. (1996).Vygotsky and Schooling: Creating a Social Context for Learning. Action in Teacher Education, 18(2), 1-10. Retrieved from https://blogs.maryville.edu/shausfather/vita/vygotsky/
Vygotskian Slogan. Retrieved from Cognitive Development: Infancy through Adolescence. (n.d.). Chapter 11 Middle Childhood. Higher-Order and Complex Cognitive Skills. p. 337. Retrieved from https://uk.sagepub.com/sites/default/files/upm-binaries/35104_Chapter11.pdf
Blake, B. and Pope, T. (2008). Developmental Psychology: Incorporating Piaget’s and Vygotsky’s Theories in Classrooms. Journal of Cross-Disciplinary Perspectives in Education. Vol. 1, No. 1, 59 – 67. Retrieved from http://jcpe.wmwikis.net/file/view/blake.pdf
Cognitive Development: Infancy through Adolescence. (n.d.). Chapter 11 Middle Childhood. Higher-Order and Complex Cognitive Skills. Retrieved from https://uk.sagepub.com/sites/default/files/upm-binaries/35104_Chapter11.pdf
Connell, S. & Charles, P. (n.d.). Lev Vygotsky (1896 - 1934). Pepperdine University: Online Masters in Educational Technology. Retrieved from http://cadres.pepperdine.edu/omcadre6/BookProject/vygotsky.htm
Dahms, M. et al. (n.d.). The Educational Theory of Lev Vygotsky: an analysis. [DOC]The Educational Theory of Lev Vygotsky: an analysis - AiZ
Retrieved from vygotsky and high-order thinking
Hausfather, S. (1996).Vygotsky and Schooling: Creating a Social Context for Learning. Action in Teacher Education, 18(2), 1-10. Retrieved from https://blogs.maryville.edu/shausfather/vita/vygotsky/
Vygotskian Slogan. Retrieved from Cognitive Development: Infancy through Adolescence. (n.d.). Chapter 11 Middle Childhood. Higher-Order and Complex Cognitive Skills. p. 337. Retrieved from https://uk.sagepub.com/sites/default/files/upm-binaries/35104_Chapter11.pdf