Exploring Cognitive Development: The Child As Problem Solver

Exploring cognitive development Exploring cognitive development: The child as problem solver ALISON F. GARTON © 2004 by Alison F. Garton 350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148-5020, USA 108 Cowley Road, Oxford OX4 1JF, UK 550 Swanston Street, Carlton, Victoria 3053, Australia The right of Alison F. Garton to be identified as the Author of this Work has been asserted in accordance with the UK Copyright, Designs, and Patents Act 1988. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, except as permitted by the UK Copyright, Designs, and Patents Act 1988, without the prior permission of the publisher. First published 2004 by Blackwell Publishing Ltd Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Garton, Alison, 1952Exploring cognitive development : the child as problem solver / Alison F. Garton. – 1st ed. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and indexes. ISBN 0-631-23457-8 (alk. paper) – ISBN 0-631-23458-6 (pbk. : alk. paper) 1. Problem solving in children. I. Title. BF723.P8G37 2004 155.4¢1343 – dc22 2003017215 A catalogue record for this title is available from the British Library. Set in Rottis Serif by SNP Best-set Typesetter Ltd., Hong Kong Printed and bound in the United Kingdom by MPG Books, Bodmin, Cornwall For further information on Blackwell Publishing, visit our website: http://www.blackwellpublishing.com Contents Preface 1: Introduction Problem Solving Social Explanations for Cognitive Change Change in the Context of Interactive/Collaborative Problem Solving Domain Specific Knowledge Children’s Potential to Change Theories of Mind The Way Forward 2: Theoretical Overview Piaget and Vygotsky: Is There Any Common Ground? Peer Interaction: Various Perspectives Implications for Piagetian and Vygotskian Theories Research on Collaboration: Beyond Social Interaction Sociocultural Theory Dynamic Systems Nature of the Problem to be Solved How Else Can Problem Solving be Described and Explained? vii 1 3 6 9 10 11 13 14 15 17 23 33 34 36 41 42 43 3: Strategy Use and Learning in Problem Solving 44 Domains Domains as Constraints on Cognitive Development Innateness and Domain-specificity 45 48 49 vi CONTENTS Domains and the Social Environment Strategy Choice Learning New Strategies 52 53 66 4: Social Problem Solving 69 Peer Interaction and Problem Solving: A Theoretical Conundrum Peer Interaction in the Classroom Peer Interaction and Adult–Child Interaction Theory of Mind and Problem Solving Self-regulation in Problem Solving Help Seeking in Problem Solving The Role of Talk in Collaborative Problem Solving Conclusion 5: What the Child Brings to the Task Readiness to Benefit from Interaction Cognitive Flexibility Friendship and Sociability Motivation to Collaborate 6: Summary, Review and implications What and How Revisited Difficulties Yet to Be Surmounted Implications 70 77 79 80 84 87 89 94 96 97 97 106 117 120 121 124 126 References 129 Author Index 136 Subject Index 13