A study of the mental development of children, which examines children's learning as an apprenticeship, a social activity mediated by parents and peers who support and challenge the child's understanding and skills.

In this book, the author explores the mental developmental of children. unlike Piaget, Rogoff sees learning as an apprenticeship - a social activity that is mediated by parents and peers who support and challenge the child's understanding and skills. The author examines the dynamic relationship between thinking processes and the cultural context, gathering evidence from various areas. By integrating available evidence and her own research, Rogoff provides a coherent and broadly based account of cognitive development in the sociocultural context. Written in a provocative and engaging style, the text is supplemented by forty photographs and original drawings by the author.

PART I: The individual and the sociocultural context: Conceiving the relationship of the social world and the individual
The sociocultural context of cognitive activity
PART II: Processes of guided participation: Providing bridges from known to new
Structuring situations and transferring responsibility
Cultural universals and variations in guided participation
PART III: Cognitive development through interaction with adults and peers: Explanations for cognitive development through social interaction: Vygotsky and Piaget
Evidence of learning from guided participation with adults
Peer interaction and cognitive development
Shared thinking and guided participation.