Comparison and Analysis of Vygotsky and Bruner

Vygotsky:
Sociocultural theory of Vygotsky considers
learning as a semiotic process where participation
in socially-mediated activities is essential. The
theory regards instruction as crucial to cognitive
development in the classroom. Instruction should
be geared to the ZPD that is beyond the learners
actual development level. Social instruction
actually produces new, elaborate, advanced
psychological processes that are unavailable to
the organism working in isolation

A clear application of sociocultural theory

principles in second language classroom is
obvious in the task-based approach. This
approach emphasizes the importance of
social and collaborative aspects of learning.
sociocultural theory focuses on how the
learner accomplishes a task and how the
interaction between learners can scaffold and
assist in the second language acquisition
process (Turuk, 2008).

A Vygotskian classroom emphasizes creating ones own concepts and making knowledge
ones property; this requires that school learning takes place in a meaningful context,
alongside the learning that occurs in the real world. The Vygotskian classroom stresses
assisted discovery through teacher-student and student-student interaction. Some of the
cognitive strategies that group members bring into the classroom are questioning,
predicting,
summarizing,
and
clarifying.
In a Vygotskian classroom, dynamic support and considerate guidance are provided based
on the learners needs, but no will or force is dictated. Students are exposed to discussions,
research collaborations, electronic information resources, and project groups that work on
problem analysis. Recent technologic advances have affected the application of
constructivist theory in practice. Innovative interactive computer software programs allow
students to synthesize the course material through active learning. Despite some minor
disadvantages, this use of technology allows interaction with others that would normally be
inaccessible through distance-education and Web-based courses.
Bruner:
The outcome of cognitive development is thinking. The intelligent mind creates from
experience "generic coding systems that permit one to go beyond the data to new and
possibly fruitful predictions" (Bruner, 1957, p. 234).
Thus, children as they grow must acquire a way of representing the "recurrent regularities"
in their environment.

So, to Bruner, important outcomes of learning include not just the concepts, categories, and
problem-solving procedures invented previously by the culture, but also the ability to
"invent" these things for oneself.
For Bruner (1961), the purpose of education is not to impart knowledge, but instead to
facilitate a child's thinking and problem solving skills which can then be transferred to a
range of situations. Specifically, education should also develop symbolic thinking in children.
Cognitive growth involves an interaction between basic human capabilities and "culturally
invented technologies that serve as amplifiers of these capabilities." These culturally
invented technologies include not just obvious things such as computers and television, but
also more abstract notions such as the way a culture categorizes phenomena, and language
itself. Bruner would likely agree with Vygotsky that language serves to mediate between
environmental stimuli and the individual's response.
Bruner also incorporated Darwinian thinking into his basic assumptions about learning. He
believed it was necessary to refer to human culture and primate evolution in order to
understand growth and development. He did, however, believe there were individual
differences and that no standard sequence could be found for all learners. He considered
instruction as an effort to assist or shape growth.In 1996 he published The Culture of
Education. This book reflected his changes in viewpoints since the 1960's. He adopted the
point of view that culture shapes the mind and provides the raw material with which we
constrict our world and our self-conception.
Bruner stressed the importance of the role of social exchanges between the child and adult
Although Bruners theory is much narrower in scope that Piagets, Bruners ideas
have been applied more directly to education.
This is notably through his notion of spiral curriculum, which basically argues that
ideas can be presented to children at almost any age, provided they are coached in
an appropriate mode of representation.
Strengths and Limitations of Bruners Theory
Limitations - not concerned with infant development as much as Piaget and Vygotsky
so not a lifespan theory of Cog Dev - more a general approach to learning Paradigmatic and
Narrative thinking difficult to test and so theory cant be demonstrated to be true
Strengths - Focus on Education have had a profound effect on education