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John Dewey (1859-1952)
A proponent of Experiental Learning who proposed that a need for skills and knowledge resulted in a continuous cycle of learning. This cycle is an individual and reflective process, which each learner experience uniquely. Dewey is associated with the theory of pragmatism and firmly believed in learning by doing. -
Lev Vygotsky (1896-1943)
His name is extensively linked to constructivism, which proposes that all knowledge is constructed from previous knowledge. He developed three theories. The first is MKO. The second is the Theory of Social Development that states that people learn from others and then internally. Consciousness and cognition follow socialisation. The third, the Zone of Proximal Development Theory, refers to guidance versus the student's ability to solve a problem independently. -
Jean Piaget (1896-1980)
Piaget developed the Stage Theory of Cognitive Development. He believed that children develop incrementally mentally and emotionally. These stages are sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete and formal. He also focussed on egosentrism, i.e. the inability of young children to perceive others’ points of view. -
Jerome Bruner (1915-2016)
He is the father of Discovery Learning, which refers to the method of inquiry-based instruction. He believed that it is best for learners to discover facts and relationships for themselves. Learning is not stage-based and can happen at any time. Problem-based learning forms the basis necessary for acquiring new knowledge and problem-solving. Knowledge can be seen as symbolic mental constructions which change as new knowledge is acquired.
