Personal cognitive development and its implications for teaching and learning

Recent theory and research into cognitive development and its educational implications have provided important information about universal principles implicated in children's cognitive development, learning strategies, and socialization; however, they have often remained surprisingly impersonal. We argue that it is important to distinguish between the normative aspects of cognitive development involved in mastering semiotic tools of a sociocultural setting (such as language), and those pragmatic and contextual aspects of development that characterize how individuals become persons (their sense of self). Examining the personal aspects of development provides a way to explore the personal value and meanings that motivate individuals to persist in developing the sophisticated knowledge needed to fully participate in any given sociocultural context. Personal cognitive development is a construct that suggests how education might focus on drawing out the full potential of students in light of their unique personal and social histories, interests, and values. This personal development has important implications for teaching, learning, and research.