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Module 4 Kohlberg Vygotsky Bronfenbrenner 2
Module 4 Kohlberg Vygotsky Bronfenbrenner 2
MODULE 4
Developmental Theories
(Kohlberg’s Stages of Moral Development,
Vygotsky ‘s Socio-Cultural Theory &
Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Theory )
Dec. 2022 to January 2023
Elective 4
The Child and Adolescent Learners and
Learning Principle
Objectives:
Overview:
Individuals when confronted by situations where they need to make moral decisions,
exercise their own ability to use moral reasoning. Our ability to choose right from wrong is tied
Topic Outline
Lesson Proper
of moral development based on Jean Piaget’s theory of moral judgment for children (1932) and
thinking process that occurs when one decides whether a behavior is right or wrong. Thus, the
theoretical emphasis is on how one decides to respond to a moral dilemma, not what one decides
Preconventional morality is the first stage of moral development, and lasts until
approximately age 9. At the preconventional level children don’t have a personal code of
morality, and instead moral decisions are shaped by the standards of adults and the consequences
of following or breaking their rules.
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For example, if an action leads to punishment is must be bad, and if it leads to a reward is must
be good.
Authority is outside the individual and children often make moral decisions based on the
physical consequences of actions.
• Stage 2. Individualism and Exchange. At this stage, children recognize that there is not
just one right view that is handed down by the authorities. Different individuals have
different viewpoints
Stage 4. Maintaining the Social Order. The child/individual becomes aware of the
wider rules of society, so judgments concern obeying the rules in order to uphold the law
and to avoid guilt.
Stage 5. Social Contract and Individual Rights. The child/individual becomes aware
that while rules/laws might exist for the good of the greatest number, there are times
when they will work against the interest of particular individuals.
Stage 6. Universal Principles. People at this stage have developed their own set of moral 3
guidelines which may or may not fit the law. The principles apply to everyone.
See: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0axVjiTe9Q
in social contexts. As a psychologist, he was also the first to examine how our social interactions
influence our cognitive growth. He was convinced that learning occurred through interactions
with others in our communities: peers, adults, teachers, and other mentors. Vygotsky sought to
understand how people learn in a social environment and created a unique theory on social
learning. He determined that teachers have the ability to control many factors in an educational
setting, including tasks, behaviors, and responses. As a result, he encouraged more interactive
and collaboration with others. Vygotsky also stated that culture was a primary determinant of
knowledge acquisition. He argued that children learn from the beliefs and attitudes modeled by
their culture.
in which children acquire their cultural values, beliefs, and problem-solving strategies through
comprised of concepts such as culture-specific tools, private speech, and the Zone of Proximal
Development.
solving strategies that children internalize through social interactions with the more 4
knowledgeable members of society.
Vygotsky, therefore, sees cognitive functions, even those carried out alone, as affected by
the beliefs, values, and tools of intellectual adaptation of the culture in which a person develops
and therefore socio-culturally determined. The tools of intellectual adaptation, therefore, vary
from culture to culture.
and would have taken a long time to do so (if at all), but was able to solve it following
interaction with the father, and has developed competence at this skill that will be applied to
future jigsaws.
Vygotsky (1978) sees the Zone of Proximal Development as the area where the most
sensitive instruction or guidance should be given - allowing the child to develop skills they will
then use on their own - developing higher mental functions.
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Vygotsky also views interaction with peers as an effective way of developing skills and
strategies. He suggests that teachers use cooperative learning exercises where less competent
children develop with help from more skillful peers - within the zone of proximal development.
When a child attempts to perform a skill alone, she may not be immediately proficient to
it. So, alone she may perform at a certain level of competency. However, with the guidance of
More Knowledgeable Other (MKO), competent adult or more advanced peer, the child can
The support or assistance that lets the child accomplish a task he cannot accomplish
Scaffolding is not about doing the task for the child while he watches. It is not about
doing shortcuts for the child. It should involve the judicious assistance given by the adult or peer
so that the child can move from the zone of actual to the zone of proximal development.
external communication used to talk to others (typical from the age of two); private speech
(typical from the age of three) which is directed to the self and serves an intellectual function;
and finally private speech goes underground, diminishing in audibility as it takes on a self-
regulating function and is transformed into silent inner speech (typical from the age of seven).
For Vygotsky, thought and language are initially separate systems from the beginning of
life, merging at around three years of age. At this point speech and thought become
interdependent: thought becomes verbal, speech becomes representational. When this happens,
children's monologues internalized to become inner speech. The internalization of language is
important as it drives cognitive development.
'Inner speech is not the interior aspect of external speech - it is a function in itself. It
still remains speech, i.e., thought connected with words. But while in external speech thought
is embodied in words, in inner speech words dies as they bring forth thought. Inner speech is
to a large extent thinking in pure meanings.'
3: Vygotsky places more (and different) emphasis on the role of language in cognitive
development.
According to Piaget, language depends on thought for its development (i.e., thought
comes before language). For Vygotsky, thought and language are initially separate
systems from the beginning of life, merging at around three years of age, producing
verbal thought (inner speech).
For Vygotsky, cognitive development results from an internalization of language.
to explain how the inherent qualities of children and their environments interact to influence how
they grow and develop. The Bronfenbrenner theory emphasizes the importance of studying
themselves enmeshed in various ecosystems, from the most intimate home ecological system to
the larger school system, and then to the most expansive system which includes society and
culture. Each of these ecological systems inevitably interact with and influence each other in all
The Microsystem
The microsystem is the first level of Bronfenbrenner's theory, and are the things that have
direct contact with the child in their immediate environment, such as parents, siblings, teachers
and school peers.
Interactions within the microsystem typically involve personal relationships with family
members, classmates, teachers and caregivers. How these groups or individuals interact with the
children will affect how they grow. If a child has a strong nurturing relationship with their
parents, this is said to have a positive effect on the child. Whereas, distant and unaffectionate
independently, but are interconnected and assert influence upon one another.
For instance, if a child’s parents communicate with the child’s teachers, this interaction may
influence the child’s development. Essentially, a mesosystem is a system of microsystems.
According to the ecological systems theory, if the child’s parents and teachers get along
and have a good relationship, this should have positive effects on the child’s development,
compared to negative effects on development if the teachers and parents do not get along.
The Exosystem
The exosystem pertains to the linkages that may exist between two or more settings, one 9
of which may not contain the developing children but affect them indirectly nonetheless.
Based on the findings of Bronfenbrenner, people and places that children may not
directly interact with may still have an impact on their lives. Such places and people may include
the parents’ workplaces, extended family members, and the neighborhood the children live in.
The Macrosystem
The macrosystem is a component of Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory that
focuses on how cultural elements affect a child's development, such as socioeconomic status,
wealth, poverty, and ethnicity. Thus, culture that individuals are immersed within may influence
their beliefs and perceptions about events that transpire in life.
The macrosystem differs from the previous ecosystems as is does not refer to the specific
environments of one developing child, but the already established society and culture which the
child is developing in. This can also include the socioeconomic status, ethnicity, geographic
location and ideologies of the culture. For example, children in war-torn areas will experience a
different kind of development than children in peaceful environments.
The Chronosystem
The fifth and final level of Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory is known as the
chronosystem.
This system consists of all of the environmental changes that occur over the lifetime
which influence development, including major life transitions, and historical events.
These can include normal life transitions such as starting school but can also include non-
normative life transitions such as parents getting a divorce or having to move to a new house.
Classroom Application
The Ecological Systems Theory has been used to link psychological and educational theory
to early educational curriculums and practice. At the center of the theory is the developing child,
and all that occurs within and between the five ecological systems are done so to benefit the
child in the classroom.
Evaluation/Assessment/Activity 10
_________ 1. Jewel allows her classmates to copy her homework so that they will think
she is kind and will like her to be their friend.
_________ 2. Nathan does everything to get passing grades because his Mom will take
his play station away if he gets bad grades.
_________ 3. A civic action group protests the use of pills for family planning, saying
that although the government allows this, it is actually murder because
pills are abortifacient (causes abortion).
_________ 4. Nicole lets Esme copy during their English test because Esme agreed to let
her copy during their math test.
_________ 5. Che decides to return the wallet she found in the canteen so that people
will praise her honesty and think she’s such a nice girl.
_________ 6. Adrian decides to return the wallet he found in the canteen because he
believes it’s the right thing to do.
_________ 7. Dulce wears her ID inside the campus because she likes to follow the
school rules and regulations.
_________ 10. Little Gelo behaves so well to get a star stamp from her teacher,
B. Reflection.
C. Application on scaffolding.
2. Identify an individual to whom you can teach this skill. Somebody who will
benefit from scaffolding.
4. Determine how you will use scaffolding. Describe the specific actions you will do
to scaffold.
References: 11
Bergin, C. and Bergin D. (2018). Child and adolescent development in your classroom. (3rd ed.)
https://www.verywellmind.com/piagets-stages-of-cognitive-development-2795457
Corpus, B. et.al. (2018). The child and adolescent learners and learning principles. Lorimar
https://educationaltechnology.net/lev-vygotsky-sociocultural-theory-of-cognitive-
development/
https://www.britannica.com/science/Lawrence-Kohlbergs-stages-of-moral-development
It is not the intention of the author nor the publisher of this module to have monetary gain
in using the textual information, imageries, and other references used in this publication. This
module is only for the exclusive use of bona fide student of Mabalacat City College.
Prepared by:
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