Educational Implications Of Bruner's Theory Of Cognitive Development

Back to: Childhood and Growing Up – Unit 5

Bruner’s Theory of Cognitive Development

Jerome Bruner is one of the most influential and renowned educational psychologists of the twentieth century. He researched the cognitive development of children and identified three stages of representation namely, the enactive stage, the iconic stage, and the symbolic representation stage. He believed that the intellectual development of an individual should be the primary goal of education instead of rote memorization.

Educational Implications of Bruner’s Theory of Cognitive Development

The educational implications of Bruner’s theory of cognitive development are as follows:

The techniques of discovery and inquiry should be incorporated in the curriculum to develop and enhance the learner’s problem solving skills.
The child’s stages of intellectual development must be taken into consideration while framing the curriculum
Children’s perspective of the world must be considered and involved when teaching a subject matter.
The curriculum should enhance the existing skills of children and focus on mastering these skills.
Learning by discovery and organizing the concepts that need to be taught must be focused while teaching.
Children should be encouraged to inquire about the content being taught to enhance their knowledge.
Culture plays an important role in the way children view themselves and the world and hence, culture must be emphasized.

Conclusion

These are some of the tips teachers and parents need to keep in mind when encouraging the intellectual development of children according to Bruner’s theory.