As teorias do desenvolvimento humano de Piaget e de Vigotski e suas implicações pedagógicas

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the process of human development according to the theories of Jean Piaget and Lev Semenovitch Vygotsky and their implications for the field of pedagogy. The theories of Piaget and Vygotsky have had significant influence on brazilian academic production, as evidenced by Silva (2021) and Mainardes (1999). They are also referenced in important official documents guiding educational policies in Brazil, such as the National Curriculum Parameters (Brazil, 1997). However, these authors are not always directly studied in pedagogy courses, particularly at UFBA, where we observed their extensive citation primarily through secondary sources by authors who build upon Piaget’s and Vygotsky’s theories to address specific research topics. As a result, many students graduate from pedagogy programs with a generic and imprecise understanding of Piaget’s and Vygotsky’s theories — something that significantly weakens the potential of these theories to contribute to teaching practices. Thus, this study sought to address a twofold challenge: first, to separately examine the theories of human development proposed by these two authors using their original works, as well as analyses by their commentators, highlighting key aspects of their theories. Second, to explore the implications of these theories for the field of pedagogy, considering the differences between their original context in 20th-century Eurasia and our current context in 21st-century Brazil. As a conclusion, this research identified Piaget's and Vygotsky's perspectives as highly impactful for the field of pedagogy, with teleological and methodological implications. These include insights into: the importance of the social factor in development; the role of culture in the interplay between language and thought; the transitions between different stages of development; the relationship between oral language, written language, and inner speech; the relevance of using concrete tools for learning; and the relationship between learning and experience, among other topics.