Piaget's cognitive development theory - Session 4

• Mathematics
• Foundation Degree

Element 2 - Supporting Education

Introduction to Jean Piaget's theories of cognitive development.

Session 4 

T - Levels in Education and Early Years 

[e-mail] 

Learning Objectives

By the end of the session, all learners will be able to:

1. Understand the term Constructivism.
2. Explain Piaget's schematic development theory (Schema's)
3. Clearly explain Piaget's Cognitive development theory. 

(Recall)
Summarise Cognitive development
using an example of an activity.

Key Word Bank 

Key Word Bank

Pedagogical approach	The method and practice of teaching using a range of techniques.
Underpinning evidence	How a theory or concept contributes and supports a particular concept.
Stimulus (Stimuli)	Something that triggers a behaviour or cognitive change.
Constructivism	How knowledge is constructed through behaviour often the result of a stimuli.
Cognitive Constructivism	Knowledge is constructed through cognitive experiences often influenced by new information.
Social Constructivism	Learning occurs through social interactions, learning from others.

Constructivism

Constructivism is an approach taken by theorists who believe learning is an active process where a child needs to physically partake in their own learning. Educators often adopt a constructivist approach, as it allows children and students to play an active role in building their own understanding of concepts.

There are two types of constructivism - Cognitive & Social. 

Jean Piaget Key Word Bank

Schematic behaviour (schema)	Learnt behaviour, when children come to a conclusion through their experiences and understanding.
Object permanence	Understanding an object still exits even if it can't be seen.
Ego Centrism	Children's thoughts are ego centric, revolve around themselves. They are unable to see a different view point.
Animism	When a child believes an object has life like feelings. "My baby is crying" / "My baby is hungry"
Conservation	Children may demonstrate the ability to identify two things / concepts that are presented differently.

Who is Jean Piaget?

Piaget was originally a zoologist, but he became involved and interested in how children develop intelligence, he was fascinated to research how children develop their own logic. For example: His research showed that children of the same age normally have a similar approach to answering a specific question.

To form the basis of his theory he observed his own children to understand their thinking processes. He soon then began to experiment with children of different ages to explain how cognitive changes and develops over time in reflection of their individual experiences. 

Sensorimotor stage (Birth - 2 Years)

• Infants and children are encouraged to a build an understanding for themselves, including the ability to differentiate between two or more objects. 
• Infants often develop an understanding of the world through their movements and sensations. 
• Basic actions such as: sucking, grasping and looking help children learn. 

• Infants learn through object permanence (things exists when not in sight).
• During this period children go through a period of dramatic growth and learning, often interaction with their learning is a contributing factor of this. 

Babies develop their first schema, often through repeated movements. 

For example: Everything with wheels is a car.

Pre - Operation stage ( 2 - 7 Years)

• In this stage children become active users of symbols (symbolic play) often in their play. For example: A cardboard box is a car. 
• Children then share these experiences with everyone, which is often why they become egocentric. 
• Children of this age start to develop abstract thinking, where their imagination begins to form concepts that may not exist: (A Lizard has wings).

• Children often begin to represent animism in this age range, my sun is smiling.

What does object permanence mean?

1. Using life like feelings to describe an object.
2. Something exists when not in sight.
3. Not being able to see from other perspective.
4. When something is not in sight its disappeared.

Concrete Operational ( 7 - 11 years)

Children of this age become more abstract in their thinking and they way they understand the world, the consider concepts such as time and space.

During this stage children become less ego centric and begin to consider how people are feeling and the opinions of others. 

Conservation often occurs during this age, this a form of problematic thinking.  It believed children begin to understand that even when things are presented differently they can be they are still the same. 

Formal Operational ( 11+)

The last stage of Piaget's cognitive development theory, children become more able to understand situations and solve abstract problems. 

They are able to understand situations, for example: What would you do if someone gave you £1000 to do badly in an exam?

Strategy based games become more enjoyable. 

This age range and stage of development is the hallmark for the development of cognition.

Independent learning Task

You are required to research Chris Athey's Schema's, His concept was built on Piaget's cognitive development theory. 

Schema's are a form of cognitive constructivism and behaviourism. 

Present your work on a google doc, ready for the start of next weeks session. Hand in date: 11.10.23

In preperation for this can, can you all head to Element 2 folder & open a google doc labelled "Schema's"