A theorist is a person who conducts research and gathers factual information to propose a reason/ theory to explain circumstances. Theoretical perspectives, together with Early Years Learning Framework and the Standards/Curriculum forms the basis of our ideas, philosophy and approach to guiding our teaching practices, which affects the way we approach our work with children, families and the community.
At TDTP we value the work done by the following theorist. We will refer to these when we plan activities for our students. The following theorist reflect the connection to teaching digital technologies with our students:
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Blooms Taxanomy (Cognitive /thinking)
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Vygtsky (social)
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Howard Gardner's Multiple Intelligence
Refer to the activities page that will demonstrate the way we implement these theorist to our activities or planning ideas. The activity page is located at the end of the page on Kodable, Scratch Jnr, iPads and Bee-Bots.
Blooms Taxonomy
An educational psychologist Benjamin Bloom led his team in conducting research in regards to the cognitive processors. This was referred to as Bloom Taxonomy, which is a frame work for cognition and designed to promote the order of thinking in education. The original categories in 1956 had been slightly amended in 2001. Blooms Taxonomy categorise are now well known as ;
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Remember (knowledge),
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understand (Comprehension),
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apply,
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analysis,
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evaluate (synthesis) and
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create (evaluate)
These are listed in the order of thinking .The three lower levels (1-3) are basic level of thinking, whilst the three top areas are identified as higher order thinking. Teachers adapt this information to set learning objectives and design experiences to guide students into higher order thinking. Bloom Taxonomy is also used when planning and implementing the standards (National Australian Curriculum)
Lev Vyogtsy's Theory
Vygotsky’s work was based on social development theory. Three areas he focused on was;
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social interaction, it is believed that social learning leads development. The connections between people and the social cultural context in which they act and interact in shared experiences
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knowledge from others who have a better understanding or a higher ability level than the learner in regards to a task, process, or concept.
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The zone of proximal development: The ZPD is the distance between a student’s ability to perform a task under adult guidance and/or with peer collaboration and the student’s ability to solving the problem independently. According to Vygotsky, learning occurres in this zone.
Many schools have adapted Vygotsky’s theory into their philosophies, it promotes learning contexts in which students play an active role in learning. Roles of the teacher and student are shifted, as a teacher collaborates with students in facilitating learning. Learning therefore becomes a reciprocal experience for the students and teacher.
Howard Gardner Multiple Intellegence
Multiple Intellegnce was designed by Howard Gardner. He proposes eights areas of intellegnce.
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Linguistic intelligence (word )
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Logical-mathematical intelligence (logic/maths/number/reasoning)
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Spatial intelligence (picture )
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Bodily-Kinesthetic intelligence (bodily-kinesthetic)
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Musical intelligence music)
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Interpersonal intelligence ( social)
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Intrapersonal intelligence (self reflection)
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Naturalist intelligence (nature)
Teachers present their lessons in a wide variety of ways to educate children. In this way, each child has the opportunity to learn in ways that are connected to them and unique minds.
The activity sheet, mentioned above for this website are linked to the 8 areas ( I have not included Naturalist). We believe in this way students can be drawn to the activity that they are interested or passionate about doing and suits their style of learning.
Here is a quiz below that will give you an inside into which area is your intelligence most likely to be.
This activity is a multiple intelligence self assessment
