A Grade 2 teacher begins a lesson on volume by asking students to estimate the…
2026
A Grade 2 teacher begins a lesson on volume by asking students to estimate the capacity of different jugs and then fill them with cups of water. According to Bruner, which mode of cognitive representation does this activity primarily facilitate?
Answer: C. Enactive learning strategy — ConceptBruner described three modes of representation: enactive, iconic, and symbolic. Enactive representation encodes knowledge through action and direct…
- A.
Conditioned response formation
- B.
Iconic imagery development
- C.
Enactive learning strategy
- D.
Symbolic manipulation phase
Attempted by 3 students.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: C
Concept
Bruner described three modes of representation: enactive, iconic, and symbolic. Enactive representation encodes knowledge through action and direct experience; iconic representation uses images; symbolic representation uses language and other abstract symbols.
The deciding test is the form in which the learner first handles the idea: by doing, by viewing an image, or by using symbols.
Application
The students physically handle jugs, cups, and water.
They compare capacities by repeatedly filling and pouring, so the quantity is represented through an action sequence.
The activity therefore primarily facilitates an enactive learning strategy.
Cross-check and contrast
Iconic imagery development would rely mainly on pictures, diagrams, or mental images of the containers.
Symbolic manipulation would rely mainly on words, numerals, formulas, or other abstract signs.
Conditioned response formation belongs to associative or behaviourist learning and does not name one of Bruner's representational modes.
Thus, the hands-on pouring activity exemplifies the enactive mode of representation.