Piaget and Constructivism From Biology to Psychology to Philosophy to Philosophy

“Ages and Stages” thinking Misses the point of constructivism Short changes complexity of Piaget’s developmental analysis Reduces Piaget to endogenous explanation  WRONG

Developmental Psychology in America 1900 – 1940: Endogenous (growth & stages) 1920 – 1970: Exogenous (forms of behaviorism) : The rise of Constructivism 1990 – present: Information Processing –Construcivism in Education

Historical Influences Science & Philosophy Academics – published at age 10 Herbert Spencer Immanuel Kant John Flavell

Psychologist of the MIND Freud – irrational mind Skinner – blank slate mind Piaget - no mind at birth –Proactive infant –Innate reflexes –Mind must be constructed

Piaget’s Basic Question What is knowledge? Scientific & mathematical knowledge Where does it come from? How do we acquire it? Biology  Psychology  Epistemology

Internal Principles Triune Concept: Assimilation, Accommodation, Equilibration Organization & Adaptation

Bridge Principles Schemata (from Kant, with a twist) Cognitive Operations Operative & Figurative Knowledge THEN: Stages = cognitive structures –(does “ages & stages” fit Piaget?)

Sensorimotor Stage No mind Proactive reflexes Assimilation & Accommodation Schemas CREATE intention Internalization Infantile Amnesia

Preoperational Stage Assimilation Rules Creation of meaning & understanding

Preoperational Assimilation Narrow Field of Attention Immaculate Perception Subjective Egocentrism PrelogicalPrequantitative

If meaning is created, will different experiences lead to different meanings? = 73 x 5 = 15 Do addition & multiplication make numbers (or values) larger?

Constructivist Motto “You never learn anything new in the abstract, you only make adjustments to what you’ve learned in the past.” What two constructivist principles are embodied by the Constructivist Motto?

Math CAMMP Comprehensively Applied Manipulative Mathematics Program ELED 6255 (first summer session) –Can substitute for ELED 6252 in the M Ed program June 20 – 24, 9 a – 4 pm June 27 – July 1, 8:45 am – 12:15 pm –This is Math CAMMP week for kids