The contribution of several major learning theorist have been examined within this coursework. Accordingly, the contributions of three such philosophers (Eric Erikson, Jean Piaget and Vygotsky) are among those that I have selected to consider the relevance of their ideas to my teaching context. Each theoretical approach is difference and consequently each serves a unique need as it concerns teaching and learning. In other words no one theory fits all teaching and learning situations.
Psychologist Eric Erikson identified eight distance psychosocial stages of development, each of which consist of a set of elements such as stage, psychosocial crisis, basic virtue, and age. For example stage one is comprised of the psychosocial crisis of trust versus mistrust, a virtue of hope during the age span from birth to 18months. Briefly stated, due to the fact that the learners in my context are adult women and men and when considered according to Erickson’s model, their ages (18 to 65 plus) only correspond to the latter stages of 6, 7, and 8. Not only does this translate into unknown data due to the fact psychosocial developmental history is not available on the students, the model its self is unclear as to how one evolves from one stage to the next. Although Erickson’s work is respected in general by scholars an students, this is in part due to the fact that his theory is a remodel of Freud’s stages of development and such is not relevant to relevant to my context due to the fact that only the latter stages of this theory is relevant to the population I serve. This translates to more missing data than not and such is fertile ground to breed misinterpretation about the psychosocial health of the students, which makes a student/teacher connection more difficult to achieve. Consequently Erickson theory does not have practical relevance to my work. (McLeod, 2008 & Boeree 2006) Jean Piaget’s career course took an interesting and …show more content…
Primarily it is from these assumptions that Vygotsky constructed a three phase model which clearly illustrates how his Social Development Theory works (McLeod, 2014).The first phase of this philosophy is known as More Knowledgeable Other (MKO), which can be a teacher, coach, parent or peer that has more knowledge about a process or task than the child or adult learner. The MKO offers guidance within second phase, the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD), which is a conceptual state of learning, best described as what a child or adult learner can achieve under the tutelage of the MKO. An example of the ZPD is this class and subsequent classes in this Master’s degree program. The professors and my peers are MKO and although I bring certain skills and knowledge to this forum, there exist theories and concepts which I cannot fully understand without communicating with my MKO’s. The same is true for teaching and learning healing touch (HT) , as there are several techniques that cannot be mastered unless the learner enters the ZPD and is assisted by the MKO. This communication process is, in fact, the third phase of the Social Development Theory which has its foundation in language. Vygotsky argues that language is instrument that illustrates intelligent acclimations and it is the way in which knowledge is conveyed to leaners. (Cullata, 2013; McLeod, 2014) Vygotsky’s Theory of Social Development is undemanding, easy to remember, and has the elements necessary to successfully teach and learn HT and other CAM
Psychologist Eric Erikson identified eight distance psychosocial stages of development, each of which consist of a set of elements such as stage, psychosocial crisis, basic virtue, and age. For example stage one is comprised of the psychosocial crisis of trust versus mistrust, a virtue of hope during the age span from birth to 18months. Briefly stated, due to the fact that the learners in my context are adult women and men and when considered according to Erickson’s model, their ages (18 to 65 plus) only correspond to the latter stages of 6, 7, and 8. Not only does this translate into unknown data due to the fact psychosocial developmental history is not available on the students, the model its self is unclear as to how one evolves from one stage to the next. Although Erickson’s work is respected in general by scholars an students, this is in part due to the fact that his theory is a remodel of Freud’s stages of development and such is not relevant to relevant to my context due to the fact that only the latter stages of this theory is relevant to the population I serve. This translates to more missing data than not and such is fertile ground to breed misinterpretation about the psychosocial health of the students, which makes a student/teacher connection more difficult to achieve. Consequently Erickson theory does not have practical relevance to my work. (McLeod, 2008 & Boeree 2006) Jean Piaget’s career course took an interesting and …show more content…
Primarily it is from these assumptions that Vygotsky constructed a three phase model which clearly illustrates how his Social Development Theory works (McLeod, 2014).The first phase of this philosophy is known as More Knowledgeable Other (MKO), which can be a teacher, coach, parent or peer that has more knowledge about a process or task than the child or adult learner. The MKO offers guidance within second phase, the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD), which is a conceptual state of learning, best described as what a child or adult learner can achieve under the tutelage of the MKO. An example of the ZPD is this class and subsequent classes in this Master’s degree program. The professors and my peers are MKO and although I bring certain skills and knowledge to this forum, there exist theories and concepts which I cannot fully understand without communicating with my MKO’s. The same is true for teaching and learning healing touch (HT) , as there are several techniques that cannot be mastered unless the learner enters the ZPD and is assisted by the MKO. This communication process is, in fact, the third phase of the Social Development Theory which has its foundation in language. Vygotsky argues that language is instrument that illustrates intelligent acclimations and it is the way in which knowledge is conveyed to leaners. (Cullata, 2013; McLeod, 2014) Vygotsky’s Theory of Social Development is undemanding, easy to remember, and has the elements necessary to successfully teach and learn HT and other CAM