Learning Logo: The social context of cognition

ABSTRACT This paper presents research on a theoretical approach to Logo as a programming language that creates a context for learning in which the process by which children learn and develop, using computers, is of greater interest "than the products, or outcomes, of learning. Concerned with the cultural context of Logo learning and principles upon which it is based, the first section reviews the developmental and cognitive theories of Papert, Donaldson, Cole, and Sternberg and Suben. Section two offers the theoretical premise of a reference model for learning. Logo based on research in anthropology, psychology, and sociolinguistics. Section three discusses the components of this model in relation to empirical data from a research project on the relationship between Logo programming and young children's self-monitoring and comprehension skills. Finally, the fourth section briefly summarizes the discussion and suggests areas for further research, including the questions of what cognitive prerequisites are needed to program successfully at different age levels, and the policy implications of providing children with such training. Eight reference notes, thirty-two references, two tables, and five figures complete the document. (a)

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