Karpov and Haywood

Don Cunningham (cunningh who-is-at indiana.edu)
Tue, 13 Jan 1998 13:59:23 -0500 (EST)

I don't know how many of you get the _American Psychologist_
but the latest (January 1998) issue has an interesting article
"Two Ways to Elaborate Vygotsky's Concept of Mediation: Implications
for Instruction". It bears on the discussion over the last week
or two. The authors argue that while "guided discovery in a community
of learners" is fine for acquiring spontaneous concepts and
certain metacognitive skills of self regulation, that theoretical,
didactic, direct teaching is necessary for acquiring scientific
concepts. Theoretical learning is a more effective (and efficient!)
way of mediating students cognitive outcomes of linking student
declarative knowledge with procedural knowledge. Several examples
of "best practice" are cited.

Anybody want to discuss this article?

djc

Don Cunningham
School of Education
Indiana University
Bloomington, IN 47405

Phone: 812-856-8540
Email: cunningh who-is-at indiana.edu
Homepage: http://php.indiana.edu/~cunningh