Teaching, Learning and Assessment Session 2 Piaget and Plowden

Piaget’s Theory The goal of the theory is to explain the mechanisms and processes by which the infant, and then the child, develops into an individual who can reason and think using hypotheses. To Piaget, cognitive development was a progressive reorganization of mental processes as a result of biological maturation and environmental experience. Children construct an understanding of the world around them, then experience discrepancies between what they already know and what they discover in their environment.

Piaget’s Theory Jean Piaget viewed intellectual growth as a process of adaptation (adjustment) to the world. He theorised at this happens through: Schemas – developing “units” of knowledge, each relating to one aspect of the world, Assimilation - Which is using an existing schema to deal with a new object or situation Adaption - This happens when the existing schema (knowledge) does not work, and needs to be changed to deal with a new object or situation. Equilibrium - occurs when a child's schemas can deal with most new information through assimilation Disequilibrium - when new information cannot be fitted into existing schemas (assimilation).

Stages of Development Piaget believed that children think differently to adults and stated they go through 4 universal stages of cognitive development.  Development is therefore biologically based and changes as the child matures.  Cognition therefore develops in all children in the same sequence of stages.

Stages of Development – Piaget’s ideas Each child goes through the stages in the same order, and no stage can be missed out - although some individuals may never attain the later stages. There are individual differences in the rate at which children progress through stages. Piaget did not claim that a particular stage was reached at a certain age - although descriptions of the stages often include an indication of the age at which the average child would reach each stage.

Stages of Development 0 - 2 years - Sensorimotor stage - Infants learn mostly through trial and error learning. Children initially rely on reflexes, eventually modifying them to adapt to their world. 2 – 7 years – Preoperational stage - According to Piaget, the egocentric child assumes that other people see, hear and feel exactly the same as the child does. 7 – 11 years – Concrete operational stage - As a child accumulates experiences they begin to explain their experiences 11+ years - Formal Operational - The child is now able to reason and hypothesise, continually adjusting existing knowledge to accommodate new learning or experiences

Piaget’s impact on education He was influential in developing educational policy and teaching e.g. a review of primary education by the UK government in 1966 was based strongly on Piaget’s theory. The result of this review led to the publication of the Plowden Report (1967) Children and their Primary Schools http://www.educationengland.org.uk/documents/plowden/plowden1967-1.html Discovery learning – the idea that children learn best through doing and actively exploring

Piaget’s impact on education 'readiness' important. Readiness concerns when certain information or concepts should be taught. According to Piaget's theory children should not be taught certain concepts until they have reached the appropriate stage cognitive development. School Key Stages The role of the teacher is to facilitate learning, rather than direct tuition

References Bentham, S – A Teaching Assistants Guide to child development and psychology in the classroom Walton and Goddard – Supporting every child Wood, D – How children think and learn http://www.simplypsychology.org/piaget.html http://www.educationengland.org.uk/documents/plowden/plowden1967-1.html

Task 2 Working in a small group (15 min) Considering what we know about Piaget’s theory – how (if at all) can this be applied to learning. Discuss between each other and list any connections (positive and negative) to current school practice and discuss Feedback to group