Jean Piagets Theory Essay

Piagets theory is based on stages, whereby each stage represents a qualitatively different type of thinking. Children in stage one can non think the alike as kidskinren in stage 2, 3 or 4 etc. Transitions from one stage to an new(prenominal) argon gener eachy very fast, and the stages always follow an unvaried sequence. Another consequential characteristic of his stage theory is that they are universal the stages will work for everyone in the sphere regardless of their differences (except their age, of course, which is what the stages are based on) Piaget acknowledged that there is an interaction between a tike and the environment, and this is a focal point for his theory.He believed a child cannot learn unless they are ever interacting with their environment, making mistakes and then learning from them. He defined children as lone scientists he did not disclose any need for teachers or adults in cognitive tuition. Children admit all the cognitive mechanisms to learn on th eir own, and the interaction with their environment fall by the waysides them to do so. To put this in perspective, another theory by Lev Vygotsky suggested that the interaction is not important at all the child will learn when encouraged to with an adults assistance. I will be explaining then contrasting Vygotskys theory to Piagets in my next federal agency so be sure to check back for that With the background of his theory explained, lets tang at The Key Concepts of Piagets theoryBefore explaining the main part of Piagets theory (the iv stages), its very important to look at some of the underlying principles behind it. Rather than put out a stupidly long paragraph explaining it all, I will write the draw terms in bold, then explain them in bullet points just to keep things simple Schema (pl. Schemata, although some hypothesize Schemas for the plural) Possibly one of the most important concepts put forward by Piaget, Schemata help item-by-items understand the world they i nhabit. They are cognitive structures that represent a certain aspect of the world, and can be seen as categories which acquit certain pre-conceived ideas in them. For example, my schema for Christmas includes Christmas trees, presents, giving, money, green, red, gold, winter, Santa Claus etc. nighone else whitethorn have an entirely different schema, such(prenominal) as Jesus, birth, Church, holiday, Christianity etc.Of course, there are schemata for all kinds of things yourself (self schemata), other people (people schemata), events/situations (event schemata) and graphic symbols/occupations (role schemata). With regards to Piagets theory, a child might have a pre-conceived schema for a tag. If the ho lend oneselfhold has a small West alpestrine White Terrier as a dog, the schema might be small, furry, four legs, white. When the child interacts with a advanced dog perhaps a Labrador, it will change to incorporate the unused tuition, such as big, golden, smooth etc. This is known asAssimilationSimply the suffice of incorporating new information into a preexist schema. So with the dog example, the child assimilated the Labradors information into the old dog schema. Assimilation is basically fitting new information into schemata we already have in place. Unfortunately, this can lead to stereotyping. For example, if an old noblewoman sees a pueriler mug another person, she might assimilate violence or crime into her teenage schema. Next time she sees a teenager, her schema will be applied to them and although they may be a kind person, she will probably show prejudice. Assimilation is normally a simple process, as new information already fits the pre-exisiting categories.AccommodationWhen coming crosswise a new object for the first time, a child will attempt to apply an old schema to the object. For consistency, lets use the dog example again. The child may have four legs, furry in their dog schema. When coming across another similar animal, such as a cat, they might say Look, a dog thats assimilation. However, when told that its actually a cat not a dog they will accommodate the new information into another schema. They will now form a cat schema not all four legged furry animals are dogs some are cats too. They have accommodated the new information. The process just mentioned of assimilation then accommodation is known as AdaptationAssimilation and accommodation are the two parts of interlingual rendition which is simply what it says adapting our schemata to make an accurate (enough) model of the world we live in. It is a form of learning, simply an entirely different form to the kind youd see in behaviorist psychology for example (such as operant/classical conditioning).EquilibriumPiaget suggested that humans naturally strive to come across a cognitive balance there must be a balance between applying prior knowledge (assimilation) and changing schemata to account for new information (accommodation). Piaget sug gested that when a child has a schema which doesnt fit reality, there is tension in the forefront. By reconciliation the use of assimilation and accommodation, this tension is minify and we can proceed to higher levels of thought and learning (equilibration).QUICK SUMMARY Children have schemata (cognitive structures that contain pre-existing ideas of the world), which are constantly changing. Schemata constantly undergo adaptation, through the processes of assimilation and accommodation. When seeing new objects there is a state of tension, and a child will attempt to assimilate the information to see if it fits into prior schemata. If this fails, the information must be accommodated by either adding new schemata or modifying the existing ones to accommodate the information. By balancing the use of assimilation and accommodation, an equilibrium is created, reducing cognitive tension (equilibration).Vygotskys theories stress the fundamental role of social interaction in the victim isation of cognition Vygotsky, 1978), as he believed strongly that community plays a central role in the process of making meaning. Unlike Piagets notion that childrens discipline must necessarily result their learning, Vygotsky argued, learning is a necessary and universal aspect of the process of evolution culturally organized, specifically human psychological function (1978, p. 90). In other words, social learning tends to precede (i.e. come before) development. Vygotsky has developed a socio-cultural approach to cognitive development. He developed his theories at around the same time as Jean Piaget was starting to develop his theories (1920s and 30s), but he died at the age of 38 and so his theories are incomplete although some of his writings are still universe translated from Russian. No single principle (such as Piagets equilibration) can account for development.Individual development cannot be understood without reference to the social and cultural context within which it is embedded. Higher mental processes in the individual have their origin in social processes. Vygotskys theory differs from that of Piaget in a number of important ways 1 Vygotsky places more strain on nicety affecting/shaping cognitive development this contradicts Piagets view of universal stages and content of development. (Vygotsky does not refer to stages in the way that Piaget does). 2 Vygotsky places well more emphasis on social factors contributing to cognitive development (Piaget is criticised for underestimating this). 3 Vygotsky places more (and different) emphasis on the role of language in cognitive development (again Piaget is criticised for lack of emphasis on this). effect of Culture Tools of intellectual adaptation alike(p) Piaget, Vygotsky claimed that infants are born with the basic materials/abilities for intellectual development Piaget focuses on motor reflexes and sensory abilities. Vygotsky refers to Elementary Mental Functions o Attentiono Sensationo perceptual experienceo MemoryEventually, through interaction within the socio-cultural environment, these are developed into more sophisticated and effectual mental processes/strategies which he refers to as Higher Mental Functions. For example, memory in young children this is limited by biological factors. However, culture determines the type of memory strategy we develop. E.g., in our culture we learn note-taking to aid memory, but in pre-literate societies other strategies must be developed, such as tying knots in string to remember, or carrying pebbles, or repetition of the names of ancestors until large numbers can be repeated.Vygotsky refers to tools of intellectual adaptation these allow children to use the basic mental functions more effectively/adaptively, and these are culturally determined (e.g. memory mnemonics, mind maps). Vygotsky therefore sees cognitive functions, even those carried out alone, as affected by the beliefs, values and tools of intellectual adaptatio n of the culture in which a person develops and therefore socio-culturally determined. The tools of intellectual adaptation therefore vary from culture to culture as in the memory exampleSocial Influences on Cognitive DevelopmentLike Piaget, Vygotsky believes that young children are curious and actively involved in their own learning and the discovery and development of new understandings/schema. However, Vygotsky placed more emphasis on social contributions to the process of development, whereas Piaget emphasised self-initiated discovery. According to Vygotsky (1978), much important learning by the child occurs through social interaction with a skillful initiate. The tutor may model behaviours and/or provide verbal instructions for the child. Vygotsky refers to this as co-operative or collaborative dialogue. The child seeks to understand the actions or instructions provided by the tutor (often the parent or teacher) then internalizes the information, using it to croak or regula te their own performance. Shaffer (1996) gives the example of a young girl who is given her first jigsaw.Alone, she performs poorly(predicate) in attempting to settle the puzzle. The father then sits with her and describes or demonstrates some basic strategies, such as determination all the comer/edge pieces and provides a couple of pieces for the child to put together herself and offers rise when she does so. As the child becomes more competent, the father allows the child to work more independently. According to Vygotsky, this type of social interaction involving co-operative or collaborative dialogue promotes cognitive development. In order to gain an understanding of Vygotskys theories on cognitive development, one must understand two of the main principles of Vygotskys work the More knowing Other (MKO) and the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD).More Knowledgeable OtherThe more knowledgeable other (MKO) is somewhat self-explanatory it refers to someone who has a better unde rstanding or a higher index level than the student, with respect to a particular task, process, or concept. Although the implication is that the MKO is a teacher or an onetime(a) adult, this is not necessarily the case. Many times, a childs peers or an adults children may be the individuals with more knowledge or experience. For example, who is more likely to know more about the newest teen-age harmony groups, how to win at the most recent PlayStation game, or how to correctly perform the newest dance craze a child or their parents? In fact, the MKO need not be a person at all.Some companies, to support employees in their learning process, are now using electronic performance support systems. electronic tutors have also been used in educational settings to facilitate and guide students through the learning process. The key to MKOs is that they must have (or be programmed with) more knowledge about the topic being learned than the learner does.Zone of Proximal DevelopmentThe con cept of the More Knowledgeable Other is integrally related to the guerilla important principle of Vygotskys work, the Zone of Proximal Development. This is an important concept that relates to the difference between what a child can achieve independently and what a child can achieve with counsel and encouragement from a skilled partner. For example, the child could not solve the jigsaw puzzle (in the example above) by itself and would have taken a long time to do so (if at all), but was able to solve it following interaction with the father, and has developed competence at this skill that will be applied to time to come jigsaws.Vygotsky (1978) sees the Zone of Proximal Development as the area where the most sensitive instruction or guidance should be given allowing the child to develop skills they will then use on their own growing higher mental functions. Vygotsky also views interaction with peers as an effective way of developing skills and strategies. He suggests that teache rs use cooperative learning exercises where less competent children develop with help from more skillful peers within the partition of proximal development.