Assessment Description

As an educator, you will need to understand how students learn. This component of instructional planning is important because it provides a foundation and purpose for learning. Studying seminal theorists, or theorists who have significantly influenced the understanding of cognitive processes, is where you can start to grasp how students learn.

For this assignment, complete the three components of the "Theories of Cognitive Development Table”:

1. Define educational psychology and explain its importance.
2. Provided are some of the most relevant theorists in educational psychology. Name the theory most often associated with each theorist and provide a brief description.
3. Include a 200-250 word reflection that explains the use of specific, evidence-based, and developmentally appropriate learning activities.

Support your table with 2-3 scholarly resources.

While APA style format is not required for the body of this assignment, solid academic writing is expected, and documentation of sources should be presented using APA formatting guidelines, which can be found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center

Theories of Cognitive Development Table

Remember to properly cite your information in this table. Use APA formatted in-text citations and include a reference page at the end of the document. Make sure to paraphrase all descriptions from references with your in-text citations. 

What   is educational psychology? Why is educational psychology important?

Theorists

Name and description of the   theory most often associated with the theorist. 

Ex. Albert   Bandura

Social Cognitive Theory: This learning theory began as   the social learning theory from the 1960s and evolved over time to be the social   cognitive theory. It involves the idea of self-efficacy, which is the belief   of being capable of one’s own success. Bandura’s theory focuses on vicarious   learning and consequences of one’s own experiences and can be goal-directed   (Woolfolk, 2005).

Jean   Piaget

Lev   Vygotsky

Abraham   Maslow

B. F.   Skinner

Noam   Chomsky

Urie   Bronfenbrenner

Erik   Erikson

Robert Gagne

David Kolb

Jerome Bruner

Reflection: In 200-250 words, explain how   developmentally appropriate learning activities support memory, learning, and   knowledge acquisition in elementary students. Provide 3-4 specific activities   and research to support each.