Piaget's Theory

Piaget's Theory of Cognitive Development

Helena StegawskiTDC31F- 2/2015

Piaget's theory aims to explain the mechanisms and processes by which infants develop into adults who can reason and think using hypotheses.

Cognitive Development

=

progressive reorganization of mental processes due to biological maturation &

environmental experiences.

Children construct knowledge.

Four factors interact to influence changes in thinking:

1. Biological maturation - growing up 2. Activity - act on the environment (explore, test, observe)3. Social experiences - learning from others (transmission)4. Equilibrium - the search for balance between the basic tendencies in thinking.

Basic Tendencies in Thinking A.K.A Invariant Functions

1. Organization - tendency to organize thinking processes into psychological structures which become our systems to understand & interact with the world. In other words, our

ALL species inherit two tendencies that influence cognition:

1. Organization

2. Adaptation

SCHEMA

Ways of organizing knowledge - basic building block of

intelligent behavior

Basic Tendencies in Thinking A.K.A Invariant Functions

1. Assimilation – the use of an existing schema to deal with a new object or situation. Trying to fit something new in what we already know.

2. Accommodation – the existing schema does not work and needs to be changed to deal with a new object or situation.

3. Equilibration – the force which drives the learning process. The constant adjustment of our schemas through assimilation & accommodation to keep us motivated to keep learning.

2. Adaptation - ability to adapt mental representations to fit the environmental demands through the basic processes of :

1. Assimilation

2. Accommodation

3. Equilibration

Stages of DevelopmentThere are four universal stages of cognitive development: SensorimotorPreoperationalConcrete OperationalFormal Operational

Learn through movements they make and sensations they resultBegin to make use of imitation, memory and thoughtMove from reflex actions to goal – directed activity

Sensoriomotor Stage – 0 to 2 years old

Learn that things still exist even if they can’t see them.

(Object permanence)

Language developmentFantasy playSymbolic gestures

Preoperational Stage – 2 to 7 years old

Has difficulties seeing another person’s point of

view. (Egocentrism)

Able to solve concrete problems in logical fashionUnderstand reversibilityAble to classify and seriate

Concrete Operational – 7 to 11 years old

Understands laws of Conservation

Able to solve abstract problems in logical fashionBecomes more scientific in thinking and can think hypothetically & systematically Develops concerns about social issues, identity

Formal Operational – 11 to adult

Manipulates ideas in the head – abstract

reasoning

Application of Piaget’s Theory to the classroom Discovery learning – children learn best through doing and actively

exploring

Focus on the process of learning, rather than the end product of it

Use active methods that require rediscovering or reconstructing “truths”

Use both collaborative and individual activities, so they can learn from each other

Provide situations that present useful problems and create disequilibrium in the child

Evaluate the level of the child’s development, so suitable tasks can be provided

The role of the teacher is to facilitate learning, and not direct it

Piaget did not explicitly related his theory to education, but his theories can be applied to teaching and learning:

Evaluation of Piaget’s TheorySupport• Changed how people viewed the

child’s world

• Changed methods to study children

• Increased our understanding of cognitive development

Criticism• Are the stages real? Isn’t

development a continuous process?

• Failed to consider social setting and culture have on cognitive development

• His methods (observation & clinical interviews) are more opened to biased interpretation

• Underestimate children - difficult & confusing tests