PIAGET’S THEORY

May 4. 2012

Eun Mi Lee(Anna Moore)

Outline

Jean Piaget The Goal of Theory Piaget’s Theory Stages of Cognitive Develop-ment

Evaluation of Piaget’s Theory Conclusion

. Was born in Neuchatel, Switzerland, on August 9(1896~1980).

. Published his first “paper” when he was ten.

. First psychologist to make a systematic study of

cognitive

development.

. After observation of many children, he posited that children

progress through 4 stages and that they all do so in the same

order.

. According to Piaget, children are born with a very

basic mental structure on which all subsequent

learning and knowledge is based.

*Piaget’s Theory Differs From Others In Several Way

. It is concerned with children rather than all learners

. It focuses on development, rather than per se, so it does not

address learning of information or specific behaviors.

. It proposes discrete stages of develop-ment.

Jean Pi-aget

The Goal of Theory

To explain the mechanisms and processes by which the infant, and then the child, develops into an individual who can reason and think us-ing hypotheses.

To Piaget, cognitive development was a pro-gressive reorganization of mental processes as a result of maturation and experience.

Children construct an understanding of the world around them, then experience discrep-ancies between what they already know and what they discover in their environment.

Piaget’s Theory1.Schemas (building blocks of knowledge)

2.Adaptation(processes that enable the transi-tion from one stage to another)

Assimilation Accommodation Equilibrium

3. Cognitive Stages of  Development: Sensorimotor Pre operational Concrete operational Formal operational

1. Schemas

Definition: -A way of organizing knowledge. -Useful to think of schemas as “units” of

knowledge, each relating to one aspect of the word,

including objects, actions and abstract (i.e. theoret-

ical)concepts.

1. Schemas

1. Schemas

2. Adaptation(Adjustment)

Definition:Processes that enable the transition from

one stageto another.And this happens through; Assimilation Accommodation Equilibrium

2. Adaptation(Adjustment) Assimilation – which is using an exist-

ing schema to a new situation. Accommodation – happens when the

existing schema(knowledge) needs to be changed to take in new information.

Equilibration – is the force, which moves development along. Equilibration is the force which drives the learning process as we do not like to be frus-trated and will seek to restore balance by mastering the new challenge (ac-commodation).

2. Adaptation

2. Adaptation

2. Adaptation

2. Adaptation

2. Adaptation

2. Adaptation

2. Adaptation

2. Adaptation

2. Adaptation

3. Piaget’s Stages of Cogni-tive Development

3. Stages of Cognitive Development

Genetic Epstemology

Evaluation of Piaget’s TheoryStrengths The influence of Piaget’s ideas in developmental psychology has been enormous. He changed how people viewed the child’s world

and their methods of studying children. He was an inspiration to many who came after

and took up his ideas. Piaget’s ideas have generated a huge amount of

research which has increased our understanding of cognitive development.

4. Evaluation of Piaget’s Theory Weaknesses Are the stages real? – Not guaranteed. He failed to consider the effect that the

social setting and culture may have on cognitive development (re:Vygotsky).

Methods are more open to biased interpre-tation than other methods, i.e. subjective(Piaget observed alone).

Carried out his studies with a handful of participants

-Generally used his own children in the early studies

(small/biased sample).

Conclusion

An important implication of Piaget’s the-ory is adaptation to the learner’s devel-opmental level.

The content of instruction needs to be consistent with the developmental level of the learner.