Chapter 8: Jean Piaget’s Cognitive Development

(not supposed to be a) Theory

By the group assigned to Chapter 8

Distortion and Misconceptions

• Only some writing available in English• Easily misapplied theory because he did not

restate the purpose and broad aims of his work

• Continued to revise “theory”• Piaget’s framework differed from

general psychology framework- knowledge is a thing, not a process

Assumptions

• Intelligence constructs the structures it needs to function

• Growth of intelligence influenced by physical and social environment, maturity, and equilibration

Cognitive Development

• Growth of logical thinking from infancy to adulthood

Qualitative Changes in the Reasoning Process

• Sensorimotor Period (birth-1year)– Development of action schemes and inference

• Preoperational Period (2-3 to 7-8 years)– Partially logical thought begins and decisions

based on perceptual cues – does not differentiate between reality, possibility,

and necessity in problem solving

• Concrete Operational Period (7-8 to 12-14)– Develop logical thinking linked to concrete

objects, inverse becomes reality, and can find multiple ways to solve problems and eliminate.

• Formal Operational Period (older than 14)– Start to deal logically with multifactor situations– Reasoning proceeds from hypothetical to concrete

Outcomes of Cognitive Development

• New structures from prior structures

Components of Cognitive Development

• Assimilation and accommodation regulated by equilibration

Facilitating Logical Thinking

• Rich opportunities for hands on learning with collaboration and teacher questioning.

• The teacher is the guide on the side rather than the sage on stage.

Major Issues in Designing Instruction

• Avoidance of direct teaching and correction of student misconceptions

Analysis of Theory

• Disadvantages– Understanding of terms and definitions is difficult– Difficult to implement and maintain– Excludes relationship between logical thinking and

basic learning (i.e. reading)• Contributions– Rich description of world through child’s eyes– Identifies problems in curricula such as math and

science being socialized knowledge