Professor Alison Garton explores the advantages that social support brings to children when they’re learning, and the importance of empathy and intersubjectivity

Exploring cognitive development

What significant processes occur in infancy for development and learning? How does cultural environment influence individual development? And how do infants begin to develop their understanding of other people? On this album, international experts present their perspectives on the ways infants and young children enter the social and cultural worlds around them, and ways that children develop their skills of thinking and learning. The speakers are Professors Rudolph Schaffer, Michael Cole, Alison Garton, Vasu Reddy and Dr Suzanne Zeedyk. The interviews are introduced and contextualised by Dr Dorothy Faulkner and Professor David Messer of The Open University. The material forms part of The Open University course ED841 Understanding children's development and learning.