How Learning Theories Account for Group Development and

Readiness Assurance:

Piaget, Vygotsky and Bandura

Michael SweetDivision of Instructional Innovation and Assessment

University of Texas, Austinmsweet@austin.utexas.edu

Overview

I. Introduction to the theorists and theories

II. Application to group development (me)

III. Application to readiness assurance (you!)

The Players

Jean Piaget - Cognitive constructivist

Lev Vygotsky - Social constructivist

Albert Bandura - Motivational theorist

Cognitive Constructivism (Piaget)

• Learning is: The active, iterative development of mental maps and categories to organize our understanding of ongoing experience.

• Subject Object relations (knowledge is neither innate nor simply behavioristic)

• Assimilation and Accommodation Equilibration(carry-on vs. check your baggage?)

• Knowledge-building-conflict and perspective-taking

Social Constructivism (Vygotsky)

• Development is: Increasingly sophisticated co-creation of a discourse culture via mastery of (andshaping by) its cultural tools.

• No distinction between cognitive and social development

• Higher-order learning functions first arise “inter-psychologically” then are internalized by the individual (fire sticks)

• Negotiated intersubjectivity the “zone of proximal development” (ZPD)

Social Cognitive Theory(Bandura)

Learning is: Secondary to motivation (value + expectancy).

• Self-efficacy – perceived ability to achieve something specific

• Collective-efficacy – individually-held belief in group ability

• Modeling – observational learning

Vectors of Group Development

(Birmingham & McCord, 2004)

1. Trust in an attraction to group (less more)

2. Goal identification (self-interest group goals)

3. Perception of others’ abilities (stereotype specific)

4. Communication (social task)

5. Frequency of disagreement (less more)

6. Conflict resolution (face saving consensus)

7. Complex intellectual ability (less more)

How Would Each Theorist Explain the Instructional Value of the RAP?

Piaget Vygotsky Bandura

iRAT

gRAT

Immediate Feedback

Team Appeals

Instructor Clarification