Jean PiagetJean Piaget

1896-19801896-1980

Young Piaget:Young Piaget:

Born in Neuchâtel, Switzerland, on Born in Neuchâtel, Switzerland, on August 9, 1896August 9, 1896

first scientific paper at age 10first scientific paper at age 10 became a zoologist with publication became a zoologist with publication

on Mollusks at age 15 on Mollusks at age 15 1918, at the age of 21 he received 1918, at the age of 21 he received

his Doctorate in Science from the his Doctorate in Science from the University of Neuchâtel.University of Neuchâtel.

Starting His Career:Starting His Career:

1921, his first article on the 1921, his first article on the psychology of intelligence was psychology of intelligence was published in the Journal of published in the Journal of PsychologyPsychology

In the same year, he accepted a In the same year, he accepted a position at the Institute J. J. Rousseau position at the Institute J. J. Rousseau in Geneva.in Geneva.

Here he began with his students to Here he began with his students to research the reasoning of elementary research the reasoning of elementary school children.  This research school children.  This research became his first five books on child became his first five books on child psychology.psychology.

Starting a Family:Starting a Family:

In 1923, he married one of his student In 1923, he married one of his student coworkers, Valentine Châtenaycoworkers, Valentine Châtenay

In 1925, their first daughter was bornIn 1925, their first daughter was born In 1927, their second daughter was In 1927, their second daughter was

bornborn In 1931, their only son was born.In 1931, their only son was born.    Their children immediately became the Their children immediately became the

focus of intense observation by Piaget focus of intense observation by Piaget and his wife.  This research became and his wife.  This research became three more books.three more books.

Various Jobs:

1929, Piaget began work as the 1929, Piaget began work as the director of the Bureau International director of the Bureau International Office of Education, in collaboration Office of Education, in collaboration with UNESCO.with UNESCO.

In 1940, He became chair of In 1940, He became chair of Experimental Psychology, the Experimental Psychology, the Director of the psychology laboratory, Director of the psychology laboratory, and the president of the Swiss and the president of the Swiss Society of PsychologySociety of Psychology..

In 1955, he created the International In 1955, he created the International Center for Genetic Epistemology, of Center for Genetic Epistemology, of which he served as director the rest which he served as director the rest of his lifeof his life

in 1956, he created the School of in 1956, he created the School of Sciences at the University of Geneva.Sciences at the University of Geneva.

Publications:Publications:

1917--- Published a philosophic novel, 1917--- Published a philosophic novel, Recherché 1924--- Published The Language and Thought of the Child 1926--- Published The Child's Conception of the World 1927--- Published The Child's Conception of Causality 1928--- Published Judgment and Reasoning in the Child 1932--- Published The Moral Judgment of the Child 1936--- Published The Origins of Intelligence in Children 1951--- Published Play, Dreams, and Imitation in Children 1958--- Published The Growth of Logical Thinking From

Childhood to Adolescence 1970--- Published Carmichael's Manual of Child Psychology 1971--- Published Biology and Knowledge 1974--- Published The Grasp of Consciousness

Piaget’s Final Days:

He continued working on a general theory of He continued working on a general theory of structures and tying his psychological work to structures and tying his psychological work to biology for many more years.  Likewise, he biology for many more years.  Likewise, he continued his public service through UNESCO as a continued his public service through UNESCO as a Swiss delegate.  By the end of his career, he had Swiss delegate.  By the end of his career, he had written over 60 books and many hundreds of written over 60 books and many hundreds of articles.  He died in Geneva, September 16, 1980, articles.  He died in Geneva, September 16, 1980, one of the most significant psychologists of the one of the most significant psychologists of the twentieth century.twentieth century.

Piaget's oeuvre is known all over the world and is Piaget's oeuvre is known all over the world and is still an inspiration in fields like psychology, still an inspiration in fields like psychology, sociology, education, epistemology, economics sociology, education, epistemology, economics and law as witnessed in the annual catalogues of and law as witnessed in the annual catalogues of the Jean Piaget Archives. He was awarded the Jean Piaget Archives. He was awarded numerous prizes and honorary degrees all over numerous prizes and honorary degrees all over the worldthe world. .

Piaget’s TheoriesPiaget’s Theories

He tried to understand and He tried to understand and label learning stages that label learning stages that children go through.children go through.

He based his approach on He based his approach on organized schemata.organized schemata.

At any point in a child’s At any point in a child’s development the use of development the use of language can only reflect the language can only reflect the characteristics and quality of characteristics and quality of its existing knowledge its existing knowledge system.system.

Assimilation and Assimilation and AccommodationAccommodation

Assimilation in Assimilation in Piaget’s theory is Piaget’s theory is described when described when children use the children use the acts of incorporating acts of incorporating objects or aspects of objects or aspects of objects into objects into previously learned previously learned activities.activities.

Accommodation in Accommodation in Piaget’s theory Piaget’s theory described children described children taking new taking new information and information and saving it because it saving it because it was similar to old was similar to old information or they information or they disregarded the disregarded the information because information because it had no previous it had no previous relation.relation.

Piaget’s 4 Stages of Piaget’s 4 Stages of LearningLearning

Sensory motor(birth-2 Sensory motor(birth-2 years)years)

Preoperational (2-4 years)Preoperational (2-4 years) ConcreteConcrete (7-12 years)(7-12 years) Formal operational(12-15 Formal operational(12-15

years)years) All 4 stages have specific All 4 stages have specific

characteristics in which characteristics in which the child will progress the child will progress through. through.

Sensory MotorSensory Motor

The child, through physical The child, through physical interaction with his or her interaction with his or her environment, builds a set of environment, builds a set of concepts about reality and how it concepts about reality and how it works. This is the stage where a works. This is the stage where a child does not know that physical child does not know that physical objects remain in existence even objects remain in existence even when out of sight (object when out of sight (object permanence).permanence).

PreoperationalPreoperational

In the preoperational stage of Piaget’s theory, children us initiative thinking and preconceptual thinking. For example, if a child posses a toy and then goes somewhere else and sees the same toy, the child will recognize the association.

Concrete Operational

As physical experience As physical experience accumulates, the child starts to accumulates, the child starts to conceptualize, creating logical conceptualize, creating logical structures that explain his or structures that explain his or her physical experiences. her physical experiences. Abstract problem solving is also Abstract problem solving is also possible at this stage. For possible at this stage. For example, arithmetic equations example, arithmetic equations can be solved with numbers, can be solved with numbers, not just with objects.not just with objects.

Formal Operations

In this stage they become increasingly competent at adult-style thinking.  This involves using logical operations, and using them in the abstract, rather than the concrete.  This is often called hypothetical thinking.

Piaget’s Impact on Human Learning Piaget had a major impact on Piaget had a major impact on

developmental psychology. Today, he developmental psychology. Today, he is still an inspiration to many different is still an inspiration to many different fields outside of psychology. Piaget fields outside of psychology. Piaget developed the theory to help us developed the theory to help us explain how our minds grow over time.explain how our minds grow over time.

The results of Piaget's work changed the way that teachers, parents and all those who work with and around children observe the children's behavior and response to their environment.

References:

Piaget, Jean, Encyclopedia Britannica, Piaget, Jean, Encyclopedia Britannica, Retrieved October, 10, 2003, from Retrieved October, 10, 2003, from Encyclopedia Britannica Online EditionEncyclopedia Britannica Online Edition

Lefrancios, G.R. (2000) Lefrancios, G.R. (2000) Theories of human Theories of human learning: learning: What the old man said (4th ed.). Australia: Wadsworth Thomson Learning.

http://www.unige.ch/piaget/http://www.unige.ch/piaget/ http://http://

www.cs.tcd.ie/courses/mscitedu/mite/lectures/term1/101/l2/rich.shtml

http://www.fmarion.edu/psych/bio/piaget.hthttp://www.fmarion.edu/psych/bio/piaget.htmm

http://www.ship.edu/~cgboeree/piaget.htmlhttp://www.ship.edu/~cgboeree/piaget.html