Page 22 - Class Portfolio2019

UNIT I
PSYCHOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS OF EDUCATION

MODULE 4
Theories of Development:
PIAGET’S COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT THEORY

Objective:

 To discuss the Piaget Cognitive Development Theory and to understand the stages of
child’s development.

BRIEF HISTORY:

Jean Piaget was born in 1896 in Neuchatel, Switzerland, and died in 1980 in Geneva,
Switzerland. When he was 11 years old, he wrote a paper o an albino sparrow, which was
published and was the start of his famous career. After graduating high school, he attended the
University of Zurich, where he became interested in psychoanalysis. He married in 1923 and
had three children. Piaget studied his children’s intellectual development from infancy.

Theory of Cognitive Development

While studying his children, Piaget developed theories concerning how children learn
and his theory of cognitive development consists of four stages of intellectual development.

STAGE 1: SENSORIMOTOR STAGE (BIRTH TO AGE 2)

During this stage, the child begins to developed their reflexes, habits, hand- eye
coordination, object permanence (knowing something exists, even though it can’t be seen),
Experimentation and creativity. Piaget referred to the children in this stage as “little scientists,”
and trial and error experiment. According to Piaget, these child actions allow them to learn about
the world and are crucial to their early cognitive development.

STAGE 2: PREOPERATIONAL STAGE (AGE 2-7)

During this stage, the child begins to develop: ability to represent objects with images and
words, language skills and imagination. Children learn through imitation and play during this
stage. They begin to use reasoning, however it is mainly intuitive, instead of logical.

STAGE 3: CONCRETE OPERATIONAL STAGE (AGE 7-12)

During this stage, the child begins to develop the fundamentals of logic such as ability to
sort objects, ability to classify objects and understanding of conservation (physical quantities do
not change based on the arrangement and/or appearance of the object)

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