VYGOTSKY,L.S. AND THE DOCTRINE OF EMPIRICAL AND THEORETICAL LEARNING

Vygotsky's followers developed a doctrine of two types of learning: em pirical and theoretical. Empirical learning is based on a process of c omparing a number of different objects, picking out their common obser vable characteristics, and, based on this, formulating a general conce pt about this class of objects. This type of learning is typical for p reschoolers and is often cultivated under the system of traditional sc hool instruction. Theoretical learning is based on a process of supply ing the student with general and optimal methods for dealing with cert ain classes of problems that direct him or her toward essential (not s imply common) characteristics of the problems of each class. Then, in the course of specially organized activity, the student masters and in ternalizes the processes of use of these methods. Experiments conducte d with students of different ages suggest that theoretical learning is much more efficient than empirical learning.