his lesson explores Jerome Bruner's theory of development, his three modes of
representation, and his beliefs on learning, language, and discovery. It will also differentiate Bruner's views of learning compared to Jean Piaget's views.
Jerome Bruner and Education
Cognitive psychologist Jerome Bruner felt the goal of education should be intellectual development, as opposed to rote memorization of facts.
This lesson will discuss Bruner's theory of development and his three modes of
representation. We will also explore his beliefs on learning, language, and discovery and differentiate his views from those of Jean Piaget.
Bruner held the following beliefs regarding learning and education:
He believed curriculum should foster the development of problem-solving skills through the processes of inquiry and discovery.
He believed that subject matter should be represented in terms of the child's way of viewing the world.
That curriculum should be designed so that the mastery of skills leads to the mastery of still more powerful ones.
He also advocated teaching by organizing concepts and learning by discovery.
Finally, he believed culture should shape notions through which people organize their views of themselves and others and the world in which they live.
Three Stages of Representation
Jerome Bruner identified three stages of cognitive representation.
1. Enactive, which is the representation of knowledge through actions. 2. Iconic, which is the visual summarization of images.
3. Symbolic representation, which is the use of words and other symbols to describe experiences.
The iconic stage appears from one to six years old. This stage involves an internal representation of external objects visually in the form of a mental image or icon. For example, a child drawing an image of a tree or thinking of an image of a tree would be representative of this stage.
The symbolic stage, from seven years and up, is when information is stored in the form of a code or symbol such as language. Each symbol has a fixed relation to something it represents. For example, the word 'dog' is a symbolic representation for a single class of animal.
Symbols, unlike mental images or memorized actions, can be classified and organized. In this stage, most information is stored as words, mathematical symbols, or in other symbol
systems.
Bruner believed that all learning occurs through the stages we just discussed. Bruner also believed that learning should begin with direct manipulation of objects. For example, in math education, Bruner promoted the use of algebra tiles, coins, and other items that could be manipulated.
After a learner has the opportunity to directly manipulate the objects, they should be encouraged to construct visual representations, such as drawing a shape or a diagram.
Finally, a learner understands the symbols associated with what they represent. For example, a student in math understands that the plus sign ( + ) means to add two numbers together and the minus sign ( - ) means to subtract.
Discovery Learning
The concept of discovery learning implies that a learner constructs his or her own knowledge for themselves by discovering as opposed to being told about something.
According to Bruner, the teacher should facilitate the learning process by developing lessons that provide the learner with information they need without organizing it for them.
This idea of discovery learning is often referred to as constructivism, which emphasizes the active role of the learner in building understanding and making sense of information.
Bruner vs. Piaget
Bruner wasn't the only cognitive psychologist with ideas about learning. Jean Piaget and Bruner held common beliefs about learning, but disagreed on several points.
Bruner and Piaget agreed that children are born ready to learn. They both thought that children have a natural curiosity. They also both agreed that children are active learners and that cognitive development entails the use of symbols.
