Bruner's Theory of Cognitive Development

A child's level of cognitive development depends on how much teaching,

practice, and/or experience has been provided to a child. With the right presentation
and explanation, a child can comprehend a concept that is generally understood only by
an adult.
Mental processes, namely perception, conceptualization, and reasoning, depend
on the imaginative process of construction. If the information is presented in the
learner's own terms, they will use it more effectively. A teacher should strive to
understand a situation from the viewpoint of the student to present information that is
compatible with that viewpoint.

Bruner's Three Modes of Representation

1. Enactive (0-1 year)- Learning and retaining knowledge that is dependent on actions,
such as movement-based muscle memory.
2. Iconic (1-6 years)- Images, which are mental representations in the mind's eye, are
used to store information visually. Pictures or diagrams help accompany verbal
information.
3. Enactive (7 years & above)- Information is stored in the form of a code or symbol,
such as language.

Through each stage, we improve. Everyone develops a preference for either enactive,
iconic, or symbolic learning. Thus, there are auditory, visual, and physical learners.

Meditation- We utilize language to focus, clarify, highlight, apply, and give context to
information for learning.

Bruner's Constructivism & Discovery Learning- learners construct new ideas or

concepts based upon existing knowledge.
Bruner developed a spiral curriculum that adapts instruction to a child's cognitive
development at any stage of development.

Four Features of Bruner's Theory of Instruction

1. Predisposition to Learn- Creating problem-solving tasks that would grab students'
interests would stimulate their desire to study.
2. Structure of Knowledge- When knowledge is presented in a coherent manner that is
relatable to the student's experience, learning becomes more effective.
3. Modes of Representation- the application of symbols, words, images, and other forms
of representation
4. Effective Sequencing- Although no sequence will work for every learner, the difficulty
level should continue to increase.