1. Psychological Development
Masters in Ed Tech
Summer 2003
December 31, 2018
Koehler | Siebenthal | Yadav

2. Koehler | Siebenthal | Yadav
Piaget ( )
Born: August 9, 1896
Died: September 17, 1980
Published his first paper at age 10.
Earned his doctorate in natural sciences at 21.
Began to study psychology, investigate how children reason.
December 31, 2018
Koehler | Siebenthal | Yadav

3. Koehler | Siebenthal | Yadav
Piaget
Piaget’s theory of development is the most widely known theory of cognitive development.
He was intrigued by children’s thoughts and behavior and worked to understand their cognitive development.
December 31, 2018
Koehler | Siebenthal | Yadav

4. Koehler | Siebenthal | Yadav
Piaget and Learning
Learning happens through a process of assimilation and accommodation.
Assimilation is a process of matching external reality to an existing cognitive structure.
When there is an inconsistency between the learner’s cognitive structure and the thing being learned, the child will reorganize her thoughts, this is accommodation.
We adjust our ideas to make sense of reality.
December 31, 2018
Koehler | Siebenthal | Yadav

5. Koehler | Siebenthal | Yadav
Piaget’s Four Stages
Piaget believed that all children develop according to four stages based on how they see the world.
The stages:
1. Sensorimotor (birth –2 years)
2. Preoperational (2-7)
3. Concrete operational (7-11)
4. Formal operations (12-15)
December 31, 2018
Koehler | Siebenthal | Yadav

6. Koehler | Siebenthal | Yadav
Sensorimotor Stage
From birth to about 2 years, rapid change is seen throughout this stage.
The child will:
Explore the world through senses and motor activity
In the early stages can’t tell difference between themselves and the environment
If they can’t see something then it doesn’t exist
Begin to understand cause and effect
Can follow something with their eyes
December 31, 2018
Koehler | Siebenthal | Yadav

7. Koehler | Siebenthal | Yadav
Preoperational stage
From 2 to 7 years
The child will:
Communicate better through speech
Can imagine the future and reflect on the past
Develop basic numerical abilities
Very egocentric – view things happening around them from only one point of view – their’s.
Have difficulty distinguishing fantasy from reality (ex: cartoon characters are real people).
December 31, 2018
Koehler | Siebenthal | Yadav

8. Koehler | Siebenthal | Yadav
…more preoperational
Conservation of matter – understanding that something doesn’t change even though it looks different, shape is not related to quantity
Can’t understand conservation of matter
Example: Are ten coins set in a long line more than ten coins in a pile?
Example: Is there less water if it is poured into a bigger container?
December 31, 2018
Koehler | Siebenthal | Yadav

9. Koehler | Siebenthal | Yadav
December 31, 2018
Koehler | Siebenthal | Yadav

10. Concrete Operational Stage
From about 7 – to about 11
The child will:
Capable of taking another person’s point of view
ability to reason and generalize from the concrete knowledge increases
Understands conservation of matter
Unable to look at abstract side of things
December 31, 2018
Koehler | Siebenthal | Yadav

11. Koehler | Siebenthal | Yadav
Formal Operations
From about 12 to about 15
The child can:
Capable of thinking logically and abstractly.
Be able to think about hypothetical situations
Form and test hypotheses
Organize information
December 31, 2018
Koehler | Siebenthal | Yadav

12. Problems with Piaget’s theory
Children often grasp ideas earlier than what Piaget found.
Cognitive development across domains is inconsistent (e.g. better at reading than math)
Studies have shown that development can to some degree be accelerated.
December 31, 2018
Koehler | Siebenthal | Yadav