Exploring Cognitive Development: The Child As Problem Solver

This book uses the paradigm of the child as problem solver to explore various theories of cognitive development. Focusing on collaborative tasks that are undertaken with other children or adults, the author explores a broad range of contemporary theoretical perspectives that could account for children’s thinking and learning. In particular, she asks whether social interaction is the key to improvement in problem–solving skills, or whether the skills and abilities that the child brings to the task are paramount. The book draws on several studies, including the author’s own research into dyadic problem solving.

Spis treści:
Preface.
1. Introduction:.
Problem Solving.
Social Explanations for Cognitive Change.
Change in the Context of Interactive/Collaborative Problem Solving.
Domain Specific Knowledge.
Children’s Potential to Change.
Theories of Mind.
The Way Forward.
2. Theoretical Overview:.
Piaget and Vygotsky: Is There Any Common Ground?.
Peer Interaction: Various Perspectives.
Implications for Piagetian and Vygotskian Theories.
Research on Collaboration: Beyond Social Interaction.
Sociocultural Theory.
Dynamic Systems.
Nature of the Problem to be Solved.
How Else Can Problem Solving be Described and Explained?.
3. Strategy Use And Learning In Problem Solving:.
Domains.
Domains as Constraints on Cognitive Development.
Innateness and Domain–Specificity.
Domains and the Social Environment.
Strategy Choice.
Learning New Strategies.
4. Social Problem Solving:.
Peer Interaction and Problem Solving: A Theoretical Conundrum.
Peer Interaction In the Classroom.
Peer Interaction and Adult–Child Interaction.
Theory of Mind and Problem Solving.
Self–regulation In Problem Solving.
Help Seeking In Problem Solving.
The Role of Talk In Collaborative Problem Solving.
Conclusion.
5. What The Child Brings To The Task:.
Readiness to Benefit From Interaction.
Cognitive Flexibility.
Friendship and Sociability.
Motivation to Collaborate.
6. Summary, Review And Implications:.
What and How Revisited.
Difficulties Yet to be Surmounted.
Implications.
References.
Author Index.
Subject Index

Nota biograficzna:
Alison F. Garton is Professor of Psychology and Associate Dean at Edith Cowan University in Western Australia. She is the author of Learning to be Literate (Blackwell Publishing, Second Edition, 1998) and Social Interaction and the Development of Language and Cognition (1992), and the editor of Systems of Representation in Children (1993).

Okładka tylna:
This book uses the paradigm of the child as problem solver to explore various theories of cognitive development. Focusing on collaborative tasks that are undertaken with other children or adults, the author explores a broad range of contemporary theoretical perspectives that could account for children’s thinking and learning. In particular, she asks whether social interaction is the key to improvement in problem–solving skills, or whether the skills and abilities that the child brings to the task are paramount. The book draws on several studies, including the author’s own research into dyadic problem solving.