Innate Capacity of a Person

Cognitive development and language acquisition are partly “natural” because humans have innate capacities for them, as shown by universal developmental stages and early sound recognition in babies. However, these capacities heavily depend on environmental and social interaction to fully develop. Neuroscience offers valuable insights by revealing the biological basis of learning and providing evidence-based data on brain functions related to memory, attention, and language, which can inform teaching strategies and interventions. Yet, it can be limited by a reductionist focus on neural processes, often overlooking the complex social, emotional, and cultural factors that influence learning. Additionally, translating neuroscience findings into practical educational approaches can be challenging. Therefore, while neuroscience is a powerful tool, it should be integrated with broader psychological and academic perspectives to understand learning thoroughly.

Cognitive Development and Language as “Natural”

Natural aspects: Cognitive development and language acquisition are often considered natural because humans have an innate capacity for them. For example, babies show early abilities to recognize sounds and patterns, and universal stages of cognitive development (like Piaget’s) suggest natural maturation processes.
Environmental influence: However, both cognitive development and language strongly depend on interaction with the environment — social, cultural, and linguistic exposure is crucial. Without these, natural capacities might not fully develop (e.g., cases of extreme neglect).
Strengths of Neuroscience in Understanding Learning

Biological basis: Neuroscience uncovers how brain structures and neural processes support learning, memory, attention, and language, providing a solid biological foundation.
Evidence-based insights: Brain imaging and cognitive neuroscience offer measurable data, helping to identify how different types of learning affect the brain and what might support or hinder it.
Intervention potential: Understanding neural mechanisms can guide effective teaching strategies, learning interventions, and even remedial approaches for learning difficulties.
Weaknesses of Neuroscience as a Learning Approach

Reductionism: Neuroscience might oversimplify learning by mainly focusing on biological processes, overlooking social, emotional, and cultural dimensions.
Complexity of learning: Learning is multifaceted and context-dependent, influenced by motivation, relationships, and environment — factors that are harder to quantify neurologically.
Translational gap: Sometimes, neuroscience findings are difficult to translate directly into practical classroom methods or educational policies without losing nuance.
In short, cognitive development and language have natural foundations but deeply rely on environmental input. While neuroscience offers powerful tools and insights, it should be integrated with psychological, social, and educational perspectives for a fuller understanding of learning.


Reference:

Blakemore, S.-J., & Frith, U. (2005). The Learning Brain: Lessons for Education. Blackwell Publishing.

https://www.tutorchase.com/notes/ib/psychology/1-1-3-pet-scans

• Shaira Ruby Serrado

Innate Capacity of a Person

Cognitive development and language acquisition are partly “natural” because humans have innate capacities for them, as shown by universal developmental stages and early sound recognition in babies. However, these capacities heavily depend on environmental and social interaction to fully develop. Neuroscience offers valuable insights by revealing the biological basis of learning and providing evidence-based data on brain functions related to memory, attention, and language, which can inform teaching strategies and interventions. Yet, it can be limited by a reductionist focus on neural processes, often overlooking the complex social, emotional, and cultural factors that influence learning. Additionally, translating neuroscience findings into practical educational approaches can be challenging. Therefore, while neuroscience is a powerful tool, it should be integrated with broader psychological and academic perspectives to understand learning thoroughly.

Cognitive Development and Language as “Natural”

Natural aspects: Cognitive development and language acquisition are often considered natural because humans have an innate capacity for them. For example, babies show early abilities to recognize sounds and patterns, and universal stages of cognitive development (like Piaget’s) suggest natural maturation processes.
Environmental influence: However, both cognitive development and language strongly depend on interaction with the environment — social, cultural, and linguistic exposure is crucial. Without these, natural capacities might not fully develop (e.g., cases of extreme neglect).
Strengths of Neuroscience in Understanding Learning

Biological basis: Neuroscience uncovers how brain structures and neural processes support learning, memory, attention, and language, providing a solid biological foundation.
Evidence-based insights: Brain imaging and cognitive neuroscience offer measurable data, helping to identify how different types of learning affect the brain and what might support or hinder it.
Intervention potential: Understanding neural mechanisms can guide effective teaching strategies, learning interventions, and even remedial approaches for learning difficulties.
Weaknesses of Neuroscience as a Learning Approach

Reductionism: Neuroscience might oversimplify learning by mainly focusing on biological processes, overlooking social, emotional, and cultural dimensions.
Complexity of learning: Learning is multifaceted and context-dependent, influenced by motivation, relationships, and environment — factors that are harder to quantify neurologically.
Translational gap: Sometimes, neuroscience findings are difficult to translate directly into practical classroom methods or educational policies without losing nuance.
In short, cognitive development and language have natural foundations but deeply rely on environmental input. While neuroscience offers powerful tools and insights, it should be integrated with psychological, social, and educational perspectives for a fuller understanding of learning.


Reference:

Blakemore, S.-J., & Frith, U. (2005). The Learning Brain: Lessons for Education. Blackwell Publishing.

https://www.tutorchase.com/notes/ib/psychology/1-1-3-pet-scans

• Shaira Ruby Serrado

Social Cognitivism: Learning Through Interaction and Cultural Context

Mary Kalantzis and Bill Cope developed the social cognitivism theory, which focuses on the importance of technology, culture, and society in shaping how humans learn. Social cognitivism argues that learning occurs through interaction with individuals in a specific social and cultural environment, as opposed to older theories that focus on isolated cognitive operations.

In this theory, students are not just consumers of knowledge but active agents, raising the notion of agency to a higher level. Social conditions shape the way individuals understand and apply knowledge, thus having an impact on their problem-solving and critical thinking capacities. Educators can create more adaptive and inclusive classrooms with the application of technology and collaborative teaching methods that equip learners with resources to adjust to an evolving environment.

It follows that knowledge is constructed socially because individuals internalize information, share ideas, and adjust preconceptions based on social experiences.
The importance of multimodal learning—in which several modes of communication, including text, speech, images, and new media, enhance the learning process—is a fundamental constituent of social cognitivism. For Kalantzis and Cope, websites and digital materials present new possibilities for collaborative learning in networked society. By utilizing group work, classroom discourse, and interactive technology, students learn from different perspectives, allowing them to solidify their ideas and gain new knowledge in ways that would be impossible through conventional schooling.
For Kalantzis and Cope, websites and digital materials present new possibilities for collaborative learning in networked society. By utilizing group work, classroom discourse, and interactive technology, students learn from different perspectives, allowing them to solidify their ideas and gain new knowledge in ways that would be impossible through conventional schooling.

For Kalantzis and Cope, websites and digital materials present new possibilities for collaborative learning in networked society. By utilizing group work, classroom discourse, and interactive technology, students learn from different perspectives, allowing them to solidify their ideas and gain new knowledge in ways that would be impossible through conventional schooling.
From this point of view, learners are actors and not simply recipients of knowledge, which extends the concept of agency. Knowledge utilization and learning on the part of people is determined by social conditions, with the resulting influence upon problem-solving ability and critical thinking. Teachers, through introducing technology and co-teaching methodologies, can have more inclusive, responsive classrooms that empower students to adjust to an ever-changing environment.

• Rose Agnes De La Rosa

Social Cognitivism: Learning Through Interaction and Cultural Context

Mary Kalantzis and Bill Cope developed the social cognitivism theory, which focuses on the importance of technology, culture, and society in shaping how humans learn. Social cognitivism argues that learning occurs through interaction with individuals in a specific social and cultural environment, as opposed to older theories that focus on isolated cognitive operations.

In this theory, students are not just consumers of knowledge but active agents, raising the notion of agency to a higher level. Social conditions shape the way individuals understand and apply knowledge, thus having an impact on their problem-solving and critical thinking capacities. Educators can create more adaptive and inclusive classrooms with the application of technology and collaborative teaching methods that equip learners with resources to adjust to an evolving environment.

It follows that knowledge is constructed socially because individuals internalize information, share ideas, and adjust preconceptions based on social experiences.
The importance of multimodal learning—in which several modes of communication, including text, speech, images, and new media, enhance the learning process—is a fundamental constituent of social cognitivism. For Kalantzis and Cope, websites and digital materials present new possibilities for collaborative learning in networked society. By utilizing group work, classroom discourse, and interactive technology, students learn from different perspectives, allowing them to solidify their ideas and gain new knowledge in ways that would be impossible through conventional schooling.
For Kalantzis and Cope, websites and digital materials present new possibilities for collaborative learning in networked society. By utilizing group work, classroom discourse, and interactive technology, students learn from different perspectives, allowing them to solidify their ideas and gain new knowledge in ways that would be impossible through conventional schooling.

For Kalantzis and Cope, websites and digital materials present new possibilities for collaborative learning in networked society. By utilizing group work, classroom discourse, and interactive technology, students learn from different perspectives, allowing them to solidify their ideas and gain new knowledge in ways that would be impossible through conventional schooling.
From this point of view, learners are actors and not simply recipients of knowledge, which extends the concept of agency. Knowledge utilization and learning on the part of people is determined by social conditions, with the resulting influence upon problem-solving ability and critical thinking. Teachers, through introducing technology and co-teaching methodologies, can have more inclusive, responsive classrooms that empower students to adjust to an ever-changing environment.

• Rose Agnes De La Rosa

@Samaa Haniya, @Caren Faye Rubio,

The debate about whether cognitive development and language are natural revolves around biology (nature) versus social influence (nurture). Modern social-cognitivist theories emphasize the role of social interactions in shaping how we think and learn.
Lev Vygotsky argues that learning is not just a biological process but happens through social engagement. He explains that children move from simple thinking to more complex ideas by interacting with others, who help them learn new concepts step by step. This process, called the zone of proximal development, shows that learning is supported by guidance from parents, teachers, or peers.
Jean Lave and Etienne Wenger expand on this idea with legitimate peripheral participation. They explain that learning happens in communities—when people join a new group, they start as outsiders and gradually become active participants by observing and interacting with experienced members.
James Paul Gee highlights that intelligence is social. He introduces distributed cognition, which means that thinking does not only happen in our minds but also relies on tools like books, digital resources, and collaboration with others. He also challenges traditional education systems that treat intelligence as an individual ability rather than a shared, social process.
Cathy Davidson supports this perspective by discussing brain plasticity—the brain's ability to change based on experiences. She argues that our environment and interactions shape our brains over time, proving that cognitive development is not just biologically determined.
These theories suggest that while biology provides the potential for thinking and language, their development depends on cultural, historical, and social influences. Cases of isolated children show that without social exposure, language and thinking do not fully develop. This proves that cognitive growth is not purely natural but shaped by both nature and nurture.

• Reeda Kabboul

Cognitive growth and language are a combination of nature (biological predispositions) and nurture (environment). Neuroscience enables us to view the brain's function in learning, providing objective facts and insights into mechanisms. Yet, it's constrained by the complexity of the brain, possibility of oversimplification, practical application difficulties, and ethical issues. We must integrate neuroscience with other viewpoints for a holistic understanding.

• Caren Faye Rubio

Cognitive development and language:

Cognitive development and language acquisition are complex processes that involve both natural and environmentally-influenced factors. While humans have an innate capacity for language acquisition, cognitive development is shaped by a dynamic interplay between genetic and environmental factors.

Neuroscience offers significant strengths in understanding learning, including:

1. Insights into neural mechanisms underlying cognitive processes
2. Identification of brain regions involved in learning and memory
3. Development of evidence-based interventions for learning disorders

However, neuroscience also has potential weaknesses:

1. Risk of oversimplifying complex behaviors
2. Neglecting social and cultural contexts
3. Overemphasis on biological factors, potentially overlooking environmental influences

Update:

Concept: Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)

The ZPD, introduced by Lev Vygotsky, refers to the range of knowledge and understanding that a learner can attain with guidance from a more knowledgeable other.

Example: A child learning to ride a bike. Initially, they require support and guidance from an adult. As they progress, the adult gradually withdraws support, allowing the child to develop independence.

Insightful aspect: Highlights the critical role of social interaction and scaffolding in cognitive development.

Possible limits:

1. Assumes rigid and linear progression of cognitive development
2. Overlooks individual agency and self-directed learning
3. Neglects the role of technology and digital tools in learning

References:

Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Harvard University Press.

Recent brain research example:

The study of neuroplasticity and its implications for learning. Research has shown that the brain can reorganize itself in response to new experiences and learning, challenging the long-held idea that the brain is a fixed entity (Draganski et al., 2004).

References:

Draganski, B., Gaser, C., Busch, V., Granner, S., & Buchel, C. (2004). Neural plasticity in the brain of musicians: A longitudinal study. NeuroImage, 23(1), 304-312.

Please comment and share your thoughts!

• Natin Nayan

1. Cognitive and language development is not only motivated by biological innate but there is the intervention of other factors, namely the social environment. The environment has a contribution as the creation of experiences such as diverse cultures, will affect differences in experience as well. this certainly supports the cognitive and language development of each individual is different, very complex can not be seen directly, contained in Piaget's thinking which passes through stages known as assimilation, and accommodation. Individual assimilation absorbs new knowledge and incorporates it into the old knowledge framework, while accommodation is the stage of adjustment to new information. Then the development of language in children is still centered on themselves and learning from the experiences gained. Language development in children generally occurs naturally and continues to develop according to their age, this is a gift as a perfect human being.

However, there are other factors that
support the development of language, namely the
social and cultural environment such as, children born in middle-income families tend to master English (international) fluently and their grammar is neat and polite (influenced by the level of parental education (parenting techniques)), while children born in middle-lower class living conditions recognize, and pronounce unpleasant vocabulary (the quality of established communication).

The assumptions of Vygotsky's thinking are:
1. Cognitionis a development from one stage to the next
2. Language is the key tool for cognitive acquisition
3. Cognition is obtained from established relationships, in other words, it is closely related to socio-cultural Dagan
Various expert opinions on this, some discuss together, or separately. The picture is like this, the development of children with hearing impairments does not have the ability to speak,
but in cognition the level of development is more or less the same as normal children of the same age.

2. Pros: By understanding neuroscience as a science that studies how the human brain works. As educators, we can increase effectiveness through the development of learning strategies or learning media that enable the delivery and absorption of material by students based on the ability to understand, store, and manage information.
As a learning model and field of application of theory. For example, Albert Bandura's social learning theory is that there is a process of observation and modeling and processing by the brain there until the stage of understanding, then there is Skinner's reinforcement theory, namely positive and negative reinforcement, the consequences of how the brain processes and responds to it.

For weaknesses, because science is relatively new, of course it requires special time to explore it, then there are costs and facilities that must support it.

Referense:

Neviyarni, A. (2020). Perkembangan Kognitif, Bahasa, Perkembangan Sosio-Emosional, dan Implikasinya Dalam Pembelajaran. Inovasi Pendidikan, 7(2).

Hengky W, Pendidikan neurosains dan implikasinya dalam pendidikan masa kini
(Kencana: Jakarta, 2019)

• Naswa Septia

1. The social mind is a social construction that sees that the existence of knowledge and intelligence does not only arise from within us, but also the surrounding social and socio-cultural environment plays a role in shaping it.

2. The thinking or construction of thoughts that a person has becomes something that not only affects us but also affects our social actions or social life in society. One of the main concepts in social constructs is collective and collaborative, where knowledge is the result of collaboration and the interaction process that occurs in it so that it is not only the result of individual construction efforts alone.

3. Culture and community can shape learning because social cognitivism and collaboration in learning have a very close relationship. Learning is obtained through interaction allowing individuals to exchange ideas, experiences with various perspectives so as to provide learning in the learning process. Individuals can support each other so that constructive learning is obtained through observation of other people's actions in solving problems. These activities lead to the development of social skills such as communication, negotiation, and cooperation, resulting in a Knowledge Collective.

• Indra Fagil Saputra

https://www.bing.com/search?pglt=41&q=Social+Cognitivism+(Mary+Kalantzis+and+Bill+Cope&cvid=2bfcdaa9b9684c27828a1ac5e0ecd1e6&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOdIBBzg2NmowajGoAgiwAgE&FORM=ANNTA1&PC=ACTS

Mary Kalantzis and Bill Cope have made significant contributions to the field of education, particularly through their work on social cognitivism and multiliteracies. Their approach emphasizes the importance of cultural and social contexts in learning, suggesting that tools like language, technology, and cultural symbols play a crucial role in constructing meaning and acquiring knowledge.

In the educational environment of today, which we have called the New Learning, we may be reluctant to pass judgement upon cultures, learners, knowledge domains or pedagogies. Each seems to suit its own context. It is nevertheless important that teachers and learners are knowing participants in their knowing. They should be as clear about their ways of knowing (the approaches to knowing and their pedagogy) as they are about what they are knowing (their disciplines and subject matter). Not only should they become more knowing through the process of learning; they should also become more knowingly knowing – developing a parallel meta-knowledge alongside the content knowledge of the subject.

• Donacel Clarianes