From the moment we are born, we develop and modify our mental and thinking abilities.
Cognitive development is the process of growth and change in mental and thinking abilities that occur throughout a person's life. This includes perception , thinking, learning, and problem solving. Cognitive development spans from childhood to adulthood and can be influenced by biological, environmental and social factors. It is an important area of study in psychology and education, as it involves the acquisition of knowledge, the development of reasoning skills and decision making.
Brain maturity and neuroplasticity
Brain maturity and neuroplasticity are two fundamental concepts in the study of the functioning of the human brain and its ability to adapt and change throughout life.
Neurons, which are a fundamental part of the nervous system, have the specific function of communicating information. They do this using a signal language that combines electrical and chemical elements, thus allowing the exchange of messages essential for the functioning of the body. They connect to each other through structures called synapses , which are contact points where communication between neurons occurs. These are crucial for the transmission of information and neural processing in the brain.
The prefrontal cortex is a region of the brain located in the front and is associated with higher executive functions, such as planning, decision making, impulse control, sustained attention , and working memory. It is essential for complex social behavior and moral judgment . In addition, it plays a fundamental role in emotional regulation and the ability to foresee and anticipate the consequences of actions.
Brain plasticity is the ability that this organ has to modify both its function and structure, depending on lived experience, learning and the environment. It can occur at different levels, including neural connections and reorganization of brain areas. It is essential for learning and memory, as it allows the brain to adapt to new situations, acquire new skills, and recover from injuries . It has been shown that both synaptic plasticity at the neuronal level and functional reorganization at the brain level are involved in learning processes and cognitive development throughout life.
famous theories
The following theories offer different perspectives on how children and people develop their thinking , morality , and cognitive abilities throughout their lives, and have significantly influenced education and developmental psychology .
Piaget's stages of development
Jean Piaget postulated a theory of cognitive development where children go through a series of qualitatively different periods in their thinking and understanding of the world. The stages are:
- Sensorimotor (0-2 years) : Babies experience the world through senses and motor actions;
- preoperational (2-7 years) : Children begin to use symbols and develop language skills, but cannot yet understand logic;
- concrete operations (7-11 years) : children begin to think logically about concrete objects and events;
- formal operations (ages 11 and up) : Teenagers and adults can reason about abstract and hypothetical ideas.
Zone of proximal development (Vygotsky)
Lev Vygotsky introduced the idea of the zone of proximal development (ZPD) , which is the gap between what a student can do independently versus with the help of a more capable tutor. He emphasized the importance of social context and interaction in learning and cognitive development.
Kohlberg's Moral Development
Lawrence Kohlberg proposed a theory of moral development that describes how people develop their understanding of good and evil throughout life. He identified six stages of moral development grouped into three levels:
- preconventional level : oriented toward punishment and reward;
- conventional level : oriented towards conformity and social norms;
- postconventional level : oriented towards ethical principles and universal values.
Multiple Intelligences (Gardner)
Howard Gardner proposed the theory of multiple intelligences, which says that people have different types of intelligence , beyond the traditional concept of intelligence quotient (IQ). He initially identified seven types of intelligence :
- linguistics ;
- logical-mathematical;
- space;
- musical;
- corporal-kinesthetic;
- intrapersonal;
- interpersonal.
Later, he added naturalistic intelligence .
Howard Gardner proposed the existence of multiple intelligences, including bodily-kinesthetic intelligence, related to our motor skills.
Mnemonic strategies
Mnemonic strategies are techniques or methods that help improve the retention and recall of information. These strategies take advantage of the way human memory works to facilitate information processing and are very useful for enhancing learning.
Let's start by talking about visualization , a technique that involves creating vivid mental images of the information you want to remember. The starting point can be reading a text that we need to memorize, as happens when students prepare for their exams.
You can also resort to forming acronyms using the first letter of each item you want to remember to create a word or phrase that is easier to remember. In this case we also take advantage of the power of writing , especially effective by hand.
Presenting information in the form of rhymes or songs can facilitate memorization and provide motivation to the little ones. This method commonly uses sequences or specific data, such as multiplication tables. The method of places (or memory palace ) involves associating elements that we want to remember with locations for which we feel a special attachment : we imagine a tour of a familiar place (such as our own home) and each concept is placed in a specific point.
There is also absurd association , a connection between the information to be remembered and something unusual. This technique takes the imagination to unconventional limits and is related to abstract thinking. Finally, spaced repetition consists of reviewing information at regular intervals of time, gradually increasing the time between each review. This helps consolidate long-term memory and prevent forgetting.
Adaptive teaching leverages technology for a personalized experience.
Teaching methods
Collaborative learning is an educational method in which students work in groups to achieve common goals. In this process, they exchange ideas, discuss concepts, and collaborate on problem solving, which promotes critical thinking, effective communication , and the development of social skills.
On the other hand, adaptive teaching is an approach that uses technology to personalize each student's learning experience based on their individual needs. This is achieved by using algorithms and data analysis to adapt content, presentation and pacing to one's abilities and learning styles.
Adaptive skills , in the context of adaptive teaching, are those that students need to adapt and succeed in changing and diverse environments. They include problem-solving skills, critical thinking, self-regulation , cognitive flexibility, and collaboration. Collaborative learning and adaptive teaching can work together to foster and develop these adaptive skills in students, preparing them to meet the challenges of the current and future world .