Introduction
The Cognitive Theory of Development developed by Jean Piaget
The four-stage model of how the mind processes new information encountered was established by Swiss biologist and psychologist Jean Piaget (1896-1980) (and their process of making sense of the world around them). According to his theory, children move through four stages in the same order. We will become familiar with the idea of Piaget’s theory and how human beings acquire cognitive abilities.
In this case the most focus is the four stages of cognitive development as proposed by biologist and psychologist Jean Piaget.
Task
Discuss the Cognitive development theory (Jean Piaget) and it’s stages of child development.
Process
STAGES OF CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Infancy
Infants start to learn how to use their senses to learn the world around them as soon as they are born. The majority of infants can track and focus on moving objects, distinguish the volume and pitch of sound, recognize all colors and their hue and brightness, and begin to anticipate events, such as sucking when they see a nipple. Infants can remember faces, mimic facial emotions like smiling and frowning, and respond to familiar sounds by the time they are three months old.
At six months of age, babies are just beginning to understand how the world around them works. They imitate sounds, enjoy hearing their own voice, recognize parents, fear strangers, distinguish between animate and inanimate objects, and base distance on the size of an object. They also realize that if they drop an object, they can pick it up again. At four to seven months, babies can recognize their names.
By nine months, infants can imitate gestures and actions, experiment with the physical properties of objects, understand simple words such as "no," and understand that an object still exists even when they cannot see it. They also begin to test parental responses to their behavior, such as throwing food on the floor. They remember the reaction and test the parents again to see if they get the same reaction.
At 12 months of age, babies can follow a fast moving object; can speak two to fours words, including “mama” and “papa”; imitate animal sounds; associate names with objects; develop attachments to objects, such as a toy or blanket; and experience separationwhen away from their parents. By 18 months of age, babies are able to understand about 10–50 words; identify body parts; feel a sense of ownership by using the word “my” with certain people or objects; and can follow directions that involve two different tasks, such as picking up toys and putting them in a box.
Toddlerhood
Between 18 months to three years of age, toddlers have reached the "sensorimotor" stage of Piaget's theory of cognitive development that involves rudimentary thought. For instance, they understand the permanence of objects and people, visually follow the displacement of objects, and begin to use instruments and tools. Toddlers start to strive for more independence, which can present challenges to parents concerned for their safetyThey also understand disciplin and what behavior is appropriate and inappropriate, and they understand the concepts of words like "please" and "thank you."
Two-year-olds should be able to understand 100 to 150 words and start adding about ten new words per day. Toddlers also have a better understanding of emotions, such as love, trust, and fear. They begin to understand some of the ordinary aspects of everyday life, such as shopping for food, telling time, and being read to.
Preschool
Preschoolers, ages three to six, should be at the "preoperational" stage of Piaget's cognitive development theory, meaning they are using their imagery and memory skills. They should be conditioned to learning and memorizing, and their view of the world is normally very self-centered. Preschoolers usually have also developed their social interaction skills, such as playing and cooperating with other children their own age. It is normal for preschoolers to test the limits of their cognitive abilities, and they learn negative concepts and actions, such as talking back to adults, LYING , and bullying. Other cognitive development in preschoolers are developing an increased attention span, learning to read, and developing structured routines, such as doing household chores.
School age
Younger school-age children, six to 12 years old, should be at the "concrete operations" stage of Piaget's cognitive development theory, characterized by the ability to use logical and coherent actions in thinking and solving problems. They understand the concepts of permanence and conservation by learning that volume, weight, and numbers may remain constant despite changes in outward appearance. These children should be able to build on past experiences, using them to explain why some things happen. Their attention span should increase with age, from being able to focus on a task for about 15 minutes at age six to an hour by age nine.
Adolescents, ages 12 through 18, should be at the "formal operations" stage of Piaget's cognitive development theory. It is characterized by an increased independence for thinking through problems and situations. Adolescents should be able to understand pure abstractions, such as philosophy and higher math concepts. During this age, children should be able to learn and apply general information needed to adapt to specific situations. They should also be able to learn specific information and skills necessary for an occupation. A major component of the passage through adolescence is a cognitive transition. Compared to children, adolescents think in ways that are more advanced, more efficient, and generally more complex. This ability can be seen in five ways.
First, during adolescence individuals become better able than children to think about what is possible, instead of limiting their thought to what is real. Whereas children's thinking is oriented to the here and now—that is, to things and events that they can observe directly—adolescents are able to consider what they observe against a backdrop of what is possible; they can think hypothetically.
Second, during the passage into adolescence, individuals become better able to think about abstract ideas. For example, adolescents find it easier than children to comprehend the sorts of higher-order, abstract logic inherent in puns, proverbs, metaphors, and analogies. The adolescent's greater facility with abstract thinking also permits the application of advanced reasoning and logical processes to social and ideological matters. This is clearly seen in the adolescent's increased facility and interest in thinking about interpersonal relationships, politics, philosophy, religion, and morality.
Evaluation
The following are the key educational ramifications of Piaget’s work as a renowned biologist and psychologist.
A concentration on children’s thought processes rather than merely their conclusions. Teachers need to comprehend the methods kids use to arrive at the answers in addition to ensuring that the answers are accurate. Only when teachers are aware of how children arrive at particular conclusions, are they in a position to provide experiences that build on children’s existing level of cognitive functioning.
Acknowledgement of the critical importance of kids initiating and participating actively in their own learning. The presentation of pre-made knowledge is downplayed in a Piagetian school, and kids are encouraged to learn on their own through natural interactions with their surroundings.
Conclusion
To show the integration of Jean Piaget theory with curriculum.
The theories of Piaget had a significant influence on educational philosophy and practice (Case, 1998). First, the ideas emphasized the concept of developmentally appropriate education, or instruction in environments, curricula, resources, and instruction that are appropriate for students’ physical and cognitive capabilities as well as their social and emotional needs.