Piagets theory of cognitive development

• Jean Piaget produced an influential theory of cognitive development.

• cognitive development→ general term describing the development of all mental processes, in particular thinking, reasoning and our understanding of the world.

• who produced an influential theory of cognitive development?

• what is cognitive development?

• Piagets contribution to child psychology was what?

• Instead Piaget realised that children t____ in entirely different ways from adults

• Based on this understanding, Piaget divided childhood how?

• Piaget also looked at children's learning, in particular at two aspects: - what are these 2 aspects

• Piagets contribution to child psychology was that children do not simply know less than adults less than adults do.

• Instead Piaget realised that children think in entirely different ways from adults

• Based on this understanding, Piaget divided childhood into stages, each of which represents the development of new ways of reasoning (intellectual development)

• Piaget also looked at children's learning, in particular at two aspects: (1) the role of motivation in development and (2) the question of how knowledge develops.

Schemas

• The world is represented in the m____ of the individual.

• As children d___ they construct more and more d____ and complex m____ r____ of the world. - these are schemas

• According to Piaget, children are born with a small number of schema, just enough for what?

• Right from the beginning, in i____, we construct new schema. One of these is the 'm__-s____' in which all the c___ k____ about t____ is s___.

• Cognitive development involves the construction of what?

Schemas

• The world is represented in the mind of the individual.

• As children develop they construct more and more detailed and complex mental representations of the world. - these are schemas

• According to Piaget, children are born with a small number of schema, just enough to allow them to interact with the world and other people.

• Right from the beginning, in infancy, we construct new schema. One of these is the 'me-schema' in which all the child's knowledge about themselves is stored.

• Cognitive development involves the construction of progressively more detailed schema for people (including ourselves), objects, physical actions and, later, more abstract ideas like justice and morality.

The motivation to learn - Disequilibrium and equilibration

• A key element of Piaget's theory is the motivation to learn

• what is disequilibrium?

• what is equilibration?

The motivation to learn - Disequilibrium and equilibration

• A key element of Piaget's theory is the motivation to learn

• disequilibrium the unpleasant sensation of when we are pushed to learn as our existing schema do not allow us to make sense of something new.

• To escape disequilibrium we have to adapt to the new situation by exploring and developing our understanding. By doing this we achieve equilibration, the preferred mental state.

How learning takes place - Assimilation and accommodation

Piaget saw the process of learning as a____ to the n____ s____ so that we understand it. He identified two processes by which this a____ takes place - what are these 2 processes?

How learning takes place - Assimilation and accommodation

Piaget saw the process of learning as adapting to the new situation so that we understand it. He identified two processes by which this adaptation takes place :

1. assimilation

2. accommodation

How learning takes place - Assimilation and accommodation

1) Assimilation

• takes place when we understand a n____ e____ and e___ by adding new i____ to our e____ schema.

• e.g. a child in a family with dogs can a____ to the existence of d____ dog breeds by a____ them into their d___ s___.

2) Accommodation

• takes place in response to what?

• The child has to a____ to these by either r____ c____ c____ s___ or f___ new ones.

• So a child with a p____ d___ may at first think of c___ as d____ (because they have f___ l___, f___ and a t___) but then recognise the existence of a s____ c___ called cats.

• This a___ forms a new 'c___-s___.

How learning takes place - Assimilation and accommodation

1) Assimilation

• takes place when we understand a new experience and equilibrate by adding new information to our existing schema.

• e.g. a child in a family with dogs can adapt to the existence of different dog breeds by assimilating them into their dog schema.

2) Accommodation

• takes place in response to dramatically new experiences.

• The child has to adjust to these by either radically changing current schema or forming new ones.

• So a child with a pet dog may at first think of cats as dogs (because they have four legs, fur and a tail) but then recognise the existence of a separate category called cats.

• This accommodation forms a new 'cat-schema.

Evaluation of Piaget’s theory of cognitive development - ✓strengths

✓- One strength of Piaget’s theory of cognitive development is the existence of evidence for what?

• Piaget’s theory of learning suggests that children will form quite i___ r____ of the world, even when they have s____ l_____ e_____

• H___ et al. (1992) demonstrated this in a study in which children aged -_ years were placed in groups of f___ to investigate and discuss what?

• Following this activity all the children were found to have i____ their understanding. Crucially, their u____ had not become more s____. Instead each child had picked up d____ f___ and reached slightly d___ c____.

• This means that each child had formed an i____ mental representation of how objects move on slopes - as Piaget would have expected.

• Extension point - This is further supported by the fact that children’s mental representations are shaped by external influences such as what? all of which can lead them to i____ the same experience in unique ways.

Evaluation of Piaget’s theory of cognitive development - ✓strengths

✓- One strength of Piaget’s theory of cognitive development is the existence of evidence for the individual formation of mental representations.

• Piaget’s theory of learning suggests that children will form quite individual representations of the world, even when they have similar learning experiences.

• Howe et al. (1992) demonstrated this in a study in which children aged 9-12 years were placed in groups of four to investigate and discuss the movement of objects down a slope.

• Following this activity all the children were found to have increased their understanding. Crucially, their understanding had not become more similar. Instead each child had picked up different facts and reached slightly different conclusions.

• This means that each child had formed an individual mental representation of how objects move on slopes - as Piaget would have expected.

• Extension point - This is further supported by the fact that children’s mental representations are shaped by external influences such as their prior knowledge, family environment, language exposure, and personal interests, all of which can lead them to interpret the same experience in unique ways.

Evaluation of Piaget’s theory of cognitive development - ✓strengths

✓- A further strength of Piaget's theory is that it has been applied where?

• Piaget's idea of what? has changed c____ t_____.

• Since Piaget's ideas became popular in the 19___, the old-fashioned classroom, (describe this) , has been replaced by activity-oriented classrooms (describe this)

• Such d____ l____ can take different forms. In the Early Years classroom children may investigate the physical properties of sand and water.

• This shows how Piaget-inspired approaches may facilitate what?

• Extension point - T___ c___ often base materials on Piagetian principles; toys help children learn by e____ their e____ and forming new s___ as they a____ and a___ new information.

Evaluation of Piaget’s theory of cognitive development - ✓strengths

✓- A further strength of Piaget's theory is that it has been applied in teaching.

• Piaget's idea that children learn by actively exploring their environment and forming their own mental representation of the world has changed classroom teaching.

• Since Piaget's ideas became popular in the 1960s, the old-fashioned classroom, where children sat silently in rows copying from the board, has been replaced by activity-oriented classrooms where children actively engage in tasks that allow them construct their own understandings of the curriculum.

• Such discovery learning can take different forms. In the Early Years classroom children may investigate the physical properties of sand and water.

• This shows how Piaget-inspired approaches may facilitate the development of individual mental representations of the world.

• Extension point - Toy companies and early-years educators often base materials on Piagetian principles; toys help children learn by exploring their environment and forming new schemas as they adapt and accommodate new information.

Evaluation of Piaget’s theory of cognitive development - ✘ Limitation

✘- one limitation of piagets theory is limited evidence for Piaget’s d____ l___

• Piaget’s theory has certainly influenced modern teaching practice through the emphasis on discovery learning.

• However, there is no strong evidence showing that children actually learn better when?

• A recent review by L____ and H___ (2016) found that the most effective form of discovery learning was what?

• This suggests that it is the t____ i____, rather than discovery itself, that drives successful learning.

• This means Piaget may have overestimated what?

Evaluation of Piaget’s theory of cognitive development - ✘ Limitation

✘- one limitation of piagets theory is limited evidence for Piaget’s discovery learning

• Piaget’s theory has certainly influenced modern teaching practice through the emphasis on discovery learning.

• However, there is no strong evidence showing that children actually learn better when left to discover concepts independently.

• A recent review by Lazonder and Harmsen (2016) found that the most effective form of discovery learning was guided discovery, where teachers provide substantial support.

• This suggests that it is the teacher input, rather than discovery itself, that drives successful learning.

• This means Piaget may have overestimated the effectiveness of pure discovery learning, making his theory less applicable to real-world classroom practice than expected.

Evaluation of Piaget’s theory of cognitive development - ✘ Limitation

✘- One limitation of Piaget's theory is that he underestimated the role of what?

• Piaget saw other people as useful to learning in the sense that they are potential sources of information and learning experiences- However, he saw learning itself as a what?

• This contrasts with other theories in which learning is seen as a more s____ p____, supported by more k____ others.

• In particular V____ saw knowledge as existing first between the l____ and the more e____ other and only then in the m____ of the learner.

• There is strong evidence to support the idea that learning is e____ by interaction with o____, and this is perhaps better explained by a____ theories.

• This means that Piaget's theory may be an i____ explanation for learning because it doesn't put enough emphasis on what?

Evaluation of Piaget’s theory of cognitive development - ✘ Limitation

✘- One limitation of Piaget's theory is that he underestimated the role of others in learning

• Piaget saw other people as useful to learning in the sense that they are potential sources of information and learning experiences- However, he saw learning itself as an individual process.

• This contrasts with other theories in which learning is seen as a more social process, supported by more knowledgeable others.

• In particular Vygotsky saw knowledge as existing first between the learner and the more experienced other and only then in the mind of the learner.

• There is strong evidence to support the idea that learning is enhanced by interaction with others, and this is perhaps better explained by alternative theories.

• This means that Piaget's theory may be an incomplete explanation for learning because it doesn't put enough emphasis on the role of other people in learning.