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Meghan performs at an average level academically. The assigned tasks were completed with the child and myself alone together to avoid distraction. Each child was evaluated on the same evening. I wanted to ensure I would present the tasks in a similar manner for each child. To explore Piaget’s theories two different tasks were assigned. The first task was to test for the ability to conserve. I had a clear glass pie plate and a clear tall glass. I used a two-cup measuring cup, which was filled with water while the child watched. I filled it purposely to the two cup line making a point of setting the cup on the counter to be sure the child could observe it well. I then poured it into the pie plate. I again filled the two-cup measure; once more placing it on the counter to be sure it was filled to the same point. I poured it into the tall glass. The question asked of each child was to indicate which container had the most water in it. Kari identified that the containers held the same amount of water without hesitation. Her response indicates that Kari has the ability to conserve. From this test alone one can only conclude that Kari has at least reached Piaget’s stage of concrete operations. Meghan observed as I filled the two containers. She hesitated for a moment then indicated the pie plate had more water in it than the tall glass. Meghan does not have the ability to conserve. Even though she watched me fill the two containers with exactly the same amount of water she thought the flattened out amount looked like more. Meghan is in Piaget’s preoperational stage. This would be age appropriate according to Piaget. The other Piagetian task was to observe the child for concrete operational thinking. I took nine index cards and stuck pictures of food onto them. There were three pictures of different meat, three pictures of different vegetables and three pictures of different desserts. I then instructed the child to make as many meals as possible by mixing up the cards as often and however they wished. The only limitation was that each meal had to have meat, vegetable and a dessert. I was hoping that the hands on approach would make it a true test of the concrete operations level. Kari identified twenty-seven different meals. This is the maximum combination for the limits set. Kari was very methodical in moving the index cards around the floor. Kari looked at the cards for a moment and then started rotating through the possibilities very systematically. She performed this task quite rapidly. It seemed obvious that she viewed the situation, used abstract thinking to decide how to handle it and continued with the task. The results indicate that Kari has reached the stage of formal operations as would be age appropriate according to Piaget. Meghan identified three meals. Prior to handling the index cards Meghan talked about her favourite foods. She picked her three favourites from among the index cards. The cards were placed on the floor. Meghan moved the index cards around and made one meal. She then slid the cards around some more and created another meal. She moved the index cards around again and created the final meal. I asked if she could think of any other meals but she said no. I noticed that in each meal she had placed her favorite from each category. Meghan did not make a meal with all her favorites as I thought she would. The results indicate that Meghan has not reached the concrete operational stage yet. She was unable to create more meals even though she was provided with hands on and visual aid. Meghan is in the preoperational stage of Piaget’s cognitive development. This is age appropriate. Vygotsky’s theory of socio-cultural development stresses the importance of interactions with others to assist in cognitive development. The zone of proximal development is the area where a child requires assistance to complete a task. The first test I asked Meghan to perform was tying shoelaces. Meghan was able to begin the first step of tying laces by intertwining the laces but could go no further. I tried to help her but she did not want help. She insisted that she could not tie her own shoes. I asked her what she did when she was at school and her shoe came undone and she responded that she wore Velcro shoes. The results indicate that the task of tying shoelaces was above Meghan’s proximal zone of development. I provided Kari with a mathematical problem. I had spoken to a high school mathematics teacher and asked for a topic that students would not be exposed to until grade nine. See appendix on page nine. Kari was unable to do the math problem. She just kept reading and re-reading the problem. I let her try to figure it out for a couple of minutes and then offered her brief instruction. She then began to work on the problem. She did not come up with the correct solution but was started in the right direction with instruction. I felt that this mathematical problem was definitely within Kari’s zone of proximal development. A little more instruction and she would be correctly answering questions similar to this one with little difficulty. As language is very important to Vygotsky’s theory I asked each child to read a portion of a book. Meghan was asked to read a passage from “The Colour Kittens”, a beginning reader book. She had never seen this book before. Meghan sat beside me and we read the book together. She was able to read some of the basic words but had difficulty with most of the words. The word ‘colour’ was used five times in the passage she read. She required help the first two times she attempted the word. The remaining three times Meghan was able to read the word on her own. She was able to read approximately one-tenth of the words without help. Meghan is very willing to read with assistance. This task is within her zone of proximal learning. Kari was given a section of an encyclopedia to read. She was able to read and comprehend with little effort. As she required no assistance I concluded that this task was beneath Kari’s zone of proximal development. I would like to note that Kari or Meghan used no private speech, nor did they move their lips during any of the tasks performed. To evaluate Kohlberg’s theory of moral development I told two different stories where the child would have to make a moral decision about what they would do in similar circumstances. See appendix on page nine. Story number one was the “Heinz” story told in class. I changed the name from Heinz to George to make it a more familiar name for the children. I asked Kari to assume the role of George. Kari’s response to the story was that she would raise the money by borrowing it from friends or family. I stated that this was not possible. Her next idea was to get a second job. I stated that the money was needed for the medicine right now. Her final solution was that she would be unable to obtain the medicine and that she would take care of “her husband” as best she could. Kari appears to be at level one, preconventional moral reasoning, of Kohlberg’s moral development theory. She is at the punishment-obedience stage or stage one. It seemed very obvious to Kari that either she could obtain the money somehow or she would have to let her husband die. In Kari’s mind there were no other choices available to her. Theft was not a possibility. When story number one was presented to Meghan she thought she would pick apples and sell them at the market to make money. I told her that she needed much more money. Meghan said she would sell all her food and her house. Beyond that line of reasoning Meghan had no solution. She did not know what she would do. Meghan is at Kohlberg’s stage one of moral development. Story number two sets the stage for the chocolate bar left by a previous patron. Kari’s decision was quickly made to give the chocolate bar to the cashier. Kari stated that the chocolate was not hers so she could not keep it. Once again Kari illustrates that she is at level one, stage one of Kohlberg’s moral development. Kari’s view is that stealing from anyone is wrong. We discussed the implications as the chocolate bar had already been paid for. Kari even thought that the store could sell it again if they wanted since other people probably stole from them sometimes. Meghan had a very interesting reaction to story number two. She thought she would pick up the chocolate bar and throw it in the garbage. I asked her why she would throw it in the garbage and she thought that would be easier. She did not wish to elaborate any further on her decision. This reaction made me think that Meghan seems to be at level one preconventional moral reasoning but in-between stage one and two of Kohlberg’s moral development. I was thinking that possibly Meghan viewed taking the chocolate bar as stealing. She did not wish to steal but perhaps thought that if she could not have it, then no one would. This seemed to be a blend of obedience and punishment in stage one and the “what’s in it for me” of stage two. At the end of the testing session for Meghan I added a test for Erikson’s impulse control. I researched and found Meghan’s favourite treat to be chocolate cake. As a thank you for her help with my homework I offered Meghan a chocolate cupcake. I placed it on a plate, brought her a napkin and a drink of milk. I told her I had to go do some work but my daughter would stay with her. I told Meghan that she could eat this cupcake while I was gone but if she chose to wait until I returned in fifteen minutes she could have two cupcakes. Meghan is very comfortable with my daughter, as she has been a babysitter for her many times. The key feature for me was that my daughter would let me know how Meghan reacted over the fifteen minutes I was absent. Upon my return Meghan immediately asked for her other cupcake. She proudly pointed out that she had not eaten the first one. In speaking with my daughter afterwards I found out that Meghan sat in the chair beside the cupcake as soon as I left. She kept looking at it and reached out to touch and taste the icing two times. According to my daughter, Meghan was very difficult to converse with as she just kept staring at the cupcake. She did not wish to take her attention away from the cupcake for long. It would seem that if I had tested Meghan on impulse control when she was just a little younger she would have eaten that first cupcake. It seems from her behaviour that she was barely able to contain herself in order to get that prize of two cupcakes! Grade Nine Mathematical Problem (discussed on page 5) You know one point on the graph of a straight line and you also are given the slope of the straight line. Using this information determine the equation of the straight line in the form There was a man named George. George’s wife was very sick and was going to die without some special medicine. George went to the drug store to get the medicine and found out that he did not have enough money to buy the medicine his wife needed. George had no way to get more money. If his wife doesn’t get the medicine she will die. George becomes desperate and very upset and thinks about stealing the medicine. If you were George what would you do? Pretend you are older and are buying your own groceries. You are at the grocery store waiting to pay for your food. The lady in front of you picks up her groceries and leaves. You see her through the store window as she gets into her car and drives away. After you have paid and are picking up your grocery bags you notice a chocolate bar that belonged to the lady in front of you. You remember her picking it up and paying for it with her groceries. It must have fallen out of her grocery bag. What will you do with the chocolate bar? Bibliography: Word Count: 2214
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