When I put the mindmaps up (see last post) it seems there was a bit cut off. So, I've put the tree on the wall, photographed it again, and left in the background (wall). What you see below is the whole tree. And everyone agreed that it was indeed a very fine specimen. Here it is:
Hint for Assignment 13: The minimum needed to achieve a pass is to write about one way in which Piaget, Vygotsky and Information Processing research have each been applied to education. The pink book has it all just about. You can find extra in Gross, pages 592, 595 and 599. Other text books will have even more, you would just have to find it. And that is how to get the merits and distinctions, of course. For this assignment, "more gets you more!"
Well, first of all, follow this link to the mindmaps you all made. It's a 6.5Mb pdf file and might take a minute or two to download, depending on your connection, and if you absolutely cannot access it then let me know and I'll see what I can do.
So, how to do Assignment 13. Basically it's a written assignment, probably about 1000 words or so by the time you've finished. All thye mindmaps/flipcharts call them what you will, have enough information on them to help you ploan. The major resource will of course be the pink book, from where most of the mindmaps were developed. And they're all very good. But there's also some stuff in Gross and I expect some of you will go even further afield.
Don't forget that if you are stuck, then ask.
And if you do it Sunday afternoon, here's a piece of music (a favourite of mine, so you know what I like!)
Assignment 12 seems to be causing a lot of grief. And I tried to make it easy for you! Well, here are some hints. Anyone who has seen this before, yes, I know you emailed me and this was the reply. But quite a few others have the same problem as well.
If you are having problems with the first part of assignment 12, I think you will be better off with sensorimotor stage and pre-operational stage. I have generally advised this because most of the obvious changes and research are focused on these two. Also, the main difference between pre- and concrete operational stages is that, in my words, pre-operational children can’t and concrete operational children can. Think of the difference between Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2. (These are stages of development in English primary schools distinguished by the assessed achievement of standard attainment tests, or “SATS”). The assignment asks for a piece of research from each of the two stages you choose, not the whole stage!
Sensorimotor research includes research into the development of object permanence. Piaget (1937) demonstrated that children in this stage do not develop object permanence until several months of age. Most of the evaluative research (e.g. Baillargeon and Devos (1991)) shows that object permanence develops earlier than Piaget reckoned.
Pre-operational research is usually about egocentrism (three mountains task, which was challenged by policeman-doll experiments) or conservation tasks, which are challenged by “naughty teddy”. You can find all you need in the pink booklet, or from Gross.
So, have some sustenance before you go any further...
Mindmaps:
Some of you have been asking for software to do mindmapping. I was rather hoping that you might hand-draw them. But FreeMind (click on the link and download) is not only free but better than mine! I use Mindjet mindmanager software, which I had to buy several years ago.
This link http://www.jeffstanden.net/Piagetmap.pdf is to a mindmap on my website. Trouble is, they are software produced and not very detailed or attractive. If you don’t know about mindmaps, then I’m sorry. I did ask if you knew! I thought you had covered them in study skills. These YouTube links might help:
Basically the assignment is to make mindmap notes of the evaluation of Piaget, Vygotsky and Information Processing approaches to cognitive development. It’s a short (-ish!) way of covering a lot of material – far better than a 2500 word essay! Use bullet points or single phrases to explain each evaluative concept on a mind map.
If there are any more doubts, I’ll do a mindmap session on the day we get back (19th). In fact, I think I’ll do that anyway.
Meanwhile, something to drool over:
His name is Jonathan Ansell, and he's a singer. Here he is with Lesley Garrett. You drool over him. I'll settle for the girl in the red dress!
