University of the Visayas

Theories of Learning

(KOHLBERG,
VYGOTSKY, &
BRONFENBRENNER)
 MORAL THEORY OF
DEVELOPMENT
Proponent: Lawrence Kohlberg
Number of Levels: 3 (Preconventional, conventional , and
Postconventional )

“Right action tends to be defined in terms of general individual rights and

standards that have been critically examined and agreed upon by the whole
society.”
Key Points:
1. Kohlberg expanded on the earlier work of Jean Piaget, which he believed
follows a series of stages.
2. Our ability to choose right from wrong is tied with our ability to
understand and reason logically.
3. Kohlberg Dilemmas- moral dilemmas
LEVEL 1: PRECONVENTIONAL

PRECONVENTIONAL
LEVEL
Moral reasoning is based on
consequence/result of the act,
not whether the act itself is
good or bad.
LEVEL 1: PRECONVENTIONAL

Stage 1: Punishment/Obedience
One is motivated by fear of punishment. He
will act in order to avoid punishment.
PRECONVENTIONAL
LEVEL
Moral reasoning is based on
consequence/result of the act,
not whether the act itself is
good or bad.
LEVEL 1: PRECONVENTIONAL

Stage 1: Punishment/Obedience
One is motivated by fear of punishment. He
will act in order to avoid punishment.
PRECONVENTIONAL
LEVEL Stage 2: Mutual Benefit
Moral reasoning is based on One is motivated to act by the benefit one may
consequence/result of the act, obtain later. You scratch my back, I’ll scratch
not whether the act itself is yours.
good or bad.
LEVEL 2: CONVENTIONAL

CONVENTIONAL
LEVEL
Moral reasoning is based on the
conventions of the “norms” of
society. This may include the
approval of others, laws and
order.
LEVEL 2: CONVENTIONAL

Stage 3: Social Approval

One is motivated by what others expect in
behavior- good boy, good girl. Importance on
CONVENTIONAL the opinion of others
LEVEL
Moral reasoning is based on the
conventions of the “norms” of
society. This may include the
approval of others, laws and
order.
LEVEL 2: CONVENTIONAL

Stage 3: Social Approval

One is motivated by what others expect in
behavior- good boy, good girl. Importance on
CONVENTIONAL the opinion of others
LEVEL
Moral reasoning is based on the Stage 4: Law and Order
conventions of the “norms” of One is motivated to act in order to uphold the
society. This may include the law because it is the laww
approval of others, laws and
order.
LEVEL 3: POST-CONVENTIONAL
POST-
CONVENTIONAL
LEVEL
Moral reasoning is based on
enduring or consistent
principles . It is not just
recognizing the law, but the
principles behind the law.
LEVEL 3: POST-CONVENTIONAL
POST- Stage 5: Social Contract
Laws that are wrong can be changed. One will
CONVENTIONAL act based on social justice and the common
LEVEL good.
Moral reasoning is based on
enduring or consistent
principles . It is not just
recognizing the law, but the
principles behind the law.
LEVEL 3: POST-CONVENTIONAL
POST-
CONVENTIONAL
LEVEL
Moral reasoning is based on
enduring or consistent
principles . It is not just
recognizing the law, but the
principles behind the law.
Stage 5: Social Contract
Laws that are wrong can be changed. One will
act based on social justice and the common
good.
Stage 6: Universal Principles
Associated with one’s conscience. Having set
of a standard that drives one to possess moral
responsibility to make societal changes
regardless of consequences to oneself.
 MORAL THEORY OF
DEVELOPMENT
Heinz dilemma, discusses on the idea of obeying the law versus saving a
life,
 HEINZ DILEMMA
Heinz ‘s wife was near death, and her only hope was a drug that had been
discovered by the pharmacist who was selling it for an exorbitant price.
The drug cost 20,000 dollars to make and the pharmacist was selling it for
200,000 and insurance wouldn’t make up the difference. He offered what
he had to the pharmacist, and his offer was rejected. In desperation, Heinz
considered stealing the drug.

1. Would it be wrong for him to do that?

2. If you are Heinz, would you steal the drug? Why or Why not?,
 ACTIVITY

Instruction: Identify the stage of moral development shown in the following

statement

_____________1. Joy allows her classmates to copy her homework so that they
will think she is kind and will like to be her friend.
 ACTIVITY

_____________2. Ricky does everything to get passing grades because his Mom
will take his play station away if he gets bad grades
 ACTIVITY

_____________3. A civic action group protests the use of pills for family
planning, saying that although the government allow this, it is actually murder
because the pills are abortifacient (causes abortion)
 ACTIVITY

______________4. Jinky lets Hannah copy during their math test because
Hannah agreed to let her copy during their AP test
 ACTIVITY

_____________5. Karen 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
 ACTIVITY

_____________6. John decides to return the wallet he found in the

canteen because he believes its the right thing to do
 ACTIVITY

_____________ 7. Lyka wears her ID inside the campus because she

likes to follow the school rules and regulations
 ACTIVITY

_____________ 8. A jeepney driver looks if there’s a policeman around before

he u-turns in a non u-turn spot. What stage of Moral development did he fail to
obey?
 ACTIVITY

_____________9. Liza volunteers to tutor at-risk children in her community

for free so they will learn to love school and stay in school
 ACTIVITY

_____________ 10. Little Riel behaves so well to get a star stamp from her
teacher
QUESTION?
 VYGOTSKY’S SOCIOCULTURAL
THEORY OF DEVELOPMENT

Proponent: Lev Vygotsky

“What a child can do in cooperation today, tomorrow she/he will be able
to do alone.”

When Vygotsky was a young boy he was educated under a teacher who
used the Socratic Method. This method was a systematic question and
answer approach. This led him to recognize the social interaction and
language as the two central factors of cognitive development.
 VYGOTSKY’S THEORY OF
DEVELOPMENT
Key Concepts:
• SOCIAL INTERACTION- Effective learning happens through

participation in social activities, making a social context of learning

crucial. Ex. Explain, model, assist, give directions, etc.

• CULTURAL FACTORS- Simple explorations with senses and

muscles to complex reasoning. He looked into a wide range of
experience that a culture would give to a child
 VYGOTSKY’S THEORY OF
DEVELOPMENT
Key Concepts:
• LANGUAGE- opens the door for learners to acquire knowledge that

others already have. “Talking-to-oneself” is an indication of the

thinking that goes into the mind of the child, this is also known as
private speech
• More Knowledgeable Others (MKO)- competent adults or a more

advance peer
• Scaffolding- the support or assistance that lets the child accomplish a

task
ZONES OF DEVELOPMENT
 VYGOTSKY’S THEORY OF
DEVELOPMENT

Key Concepts:
• Scaffold and Fade away technique- when a child is able to do the task

alone, guidance will be withdrawn

VYGOTSKY’S THEORY OF
DEVELOPMENT

HOW ARE YOU GOING TO APPLY THIS

THEORY IN THE CLASSROOM?
 VYGOTSKY’S THEORY OF
DEVELOPMENT

Vygotsky’s theory also stressed on the importance of play in learning.

Through playing and imagining , children are able to further stretch their
conceptual abilities and knowledge of the world.
QUESTION?
BRONFENBRENNER’S ECOLOGICAL
THEORY OF DEVELOPMENT

Proponent: Urie Bronfenbrenner

Environment: Five levels (Micro,Meso, Exo, Macro,
Chrono)

Bronfenbrenner’s model also known as the Bioecological

Systems theory presents child development within the context
of relationship systems that comprise the child’s environment.
BRONFENBRENNER’S ECOLOGICAL
THEORY OF DEVELOPMENT
ACTIVITY:
Answer the following sentence completion items:

1. When I was 5 years old, my parents

___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
_______________
BRONFENBRENNER’S ECOLOGICAL
THEORY OF DEVELOPMENT
ACTIVITY:
Answer the following sentence completion items:

2. When I was growing up, I was away from

___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
_______________
BRONFENBRENNER’S ECOLOGICAL
THEORY OF DEVELOPMENT
ACTIVITY:
Answer the following sentence completion items:

3. The most important thing that I learned from my college

life is/was _________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
_______________
BRONFENBRENNER’S ECOLOGICAL
THEORY OF DEVELOPMENT

MICROSYSTEM

Is the smallest and most immediate environment in which children live. This
system is considered as the most basic relationship and interaction of the
child.
BRONFENBRENNER’S ECOLOGICAL
THEORY OF DEVELOPMENT
MICROSYSTEM

Situation Example: A mother’s deep affection for her child

moves her to answer to the baby’s needs and keep the baby safe.
In turn, the baby smiles and coos bring the mother feelings of
warmth and an affirmation that indeed she is a good mother

Bi-directional influence
BRONFENBRENNER’S ECOLOGICAL
THEORY OF DEVELOPMENT

MESOSYSTEM

This layer encompasses the interaction of the different

microsystems which find themselves in.
Example are relationship or linkages between home and school,
peer group and family, family and community
BRONFENBRENNER’S ECOLOGICAL
THEORY OF DEVELOPMENT

EXOSYSTEM

The exosystem pertains to the linkages that may exist between

two or more settings, one of which may not contain the
developing children but affect them indirectly, nonetheless.

Example: Parent’s workplace

BRONFENBRENNER’S ECOLOGICAL
THEORY OF DEVELOPMENT

MACROSYSTEM

Is the largest and most distant collection of people and places to

the children that still have significant influences on them. This
includes the cultural values, customs, laws.
BRONFENBRENNER’S ECOLOGICAL
THEORY OF DEVELOPMENT
CHRONOSYSTEM

Chronosystem adds the useful dimension of time, which

demonstrates the influence of both change and constancy in the
children’s environments. Chronosystem can be External or
Internal.

Pattern of stability and change

BRONFENBRENNER’S ECOLOGICAL
THEORY OF DEVELOPMENT

“Children need people in order to become human”

- Urie Bronfenbrenner
BRONFENBRENNER’S ECOLOGICAL
THEORY OF DEVELOPMENT

Head Start, a publicly-funded early childhood program in the US.

“The instability and unpredictability of family life is the most destructive

force to a child’s development.”

“If the relationship in the immediate microsystem break down, the child will
not have the tools to explore the other parts of his environment.