Jean Piaget

Cognitive Developmental and Constructivist approach to teaching and learning.

By Kim Hartley

http://www.learningandteaching.info/learning/piaget.htm

Implications for Teachers

Teachers can encourage students to progress through the stages by… • See students as individuals• Encourage self-improvement• Avoid overuse of highly structured • Promote social interaction• Providing social development opportunities• Providing students opportunities to explore and create their own

learning experiences (hand on activities)• Providing students tools to structure their thinking• Activities need to be meaningful to students• Students will have certain limitations within a developmental stage.

Constructivist View of LearningKnowledge is forever changing and is individually constructed in a social world. And is Built on what learner brings Learning is active and builds on restructuring prior knowledge. It occurs through multiple opportunities and diverse processes to connect to what is already known.

Teachers need to challenge students, guide their thinking toward more complete understanding. Teacher is a facilitator or guide.

Students actively construct knowledge, students are thinkers, questioner and interpreters.

Motivation is intrinsically driven by the student’s desire to learn.

Constructivism and the Curriculum

Student centred rather than curriculum based Prior knowledge taken into consideration Student set the pace for the lessons Integrated or Interdisciplinary ApproachesoTheme based unitsoLearning Programs

Constructivist Learning Activities

•Modelling Field Trips•Coaching Videos•Scaffolding Experiments•Problem based learning Projects•Inquiry based learning. Class discussions

•Student questions (set aside time in the lesson plan specifically for students to ask questions) •Students interests (find out what students are interested in and include these in your lessons)•Social interaction (encourage students to share their learning)•Refection of learning (conclude your lesson with a reflection activity)•Include scaffolding (provide students with the tools to learn, then let them implement these)•Meaningful context (relate the lesson to real life situations for the students)• Assessment items • student work Mind maps• Observations Hand on activities• points of view KLW Charts• Tests Oral discussions

Constructivist Lessons

References

Ewing, J, Foster, D & Whittington S 2011, ‘Explaining student cognition during class sessions in the context Piaget's Theory of Cognitive Development’, NACTA Journal, pp68-75

Pritchard, A 2009, Ways of learning: learning theories and learning styles in the classroom, Routledge, Abingdon, Oxon

Simatwa, E 2010, ‘Piaget’s theory of intellectual development and its implication for instructional management at presecondary school level’, Educational Research and Reviews Vol. 5, No.7, pp 366-371

Vialle, W., Lysaght, P & Verenikina I 2014, Psychology for Educators, Cengage Learning, Australia

Waite-Stupiansky 1997, Building Understanding Together; A Constructivist Approach to Early Childhood Education, Delmar; Cengage Learning, USA

Webb, P 2001 “Piaget: Implications for Teaching’, Theory into Practice, Vol.19, No.2, pp 93-97

Woolfolk,A & Margetts, K 2010, Educational Psychology, 2nd edn, Pearson Australia, New South Wales, Australia

Thank You