CONSTRUCTIVISM: PIAGET'S THEORY

Theories of Learning

• Theory that emphasizes the active role of the learner in building, understanding and making sense of information. Learners build new knowledge upon the foundation of previous learning.
• Individuals construct their own cognitive structures through their experiences and interaction with the world.
• Learning exists in the mind.

Constructivism

Cognitive Constructivism

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View of Knowledge

View of Learning

Nombre del autor

Implications for Teaching

View of Motivation

His Background

Received doctoral degree at 22 in natural sciences. Worked with Alfred Binet (Paris). Prolific writer. Intensive work in BIOLOGY Developed an interest in the mental development of children

• He considered himself:

Genetic Epistemologist

• Research: He was considered a Developmental psychologist:

reveal ontogenetic changes in cognitive process

Jean Piaget

The development of knowledge was a biological process. Intellectual acts: Acts of ADAPTATION to and ORGANIZATION of the environment.

FACTORS THAT AFFECT INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENT

1. Physiobiological maturation

2. Knowledge and experience with objects

INFO

INFO

3. Equilibration

INFO

It allows external experience to be incorporated into internal structures

EQUILIBRATION

Internal Process of moving from Disequilibrium (cognitive conflict) to Equilibrium (state of balance between assimilation and accomodation)

How much do you know about...?SCHEMA/SCHEMATAASSIMILATION ACCOMODATION

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ACCOMODATION

SCHEMA/SCHEMATA: Mental structures by which individuals organize and adapt to the environment.

• The process of changing existing schemata in light of new information.
• Accommodation involves the creation of new or the modification of old schemata, or ideas, as a result of new information/ experiences.

ASSIMILATION

• The cognitive process of taking in new information into previously existing schemata.

EQUILIBRATION helps explain how children are able to move from one stage of development into the next.

Cognitive growth is the result of the constant interweaving of Assimilation and Accomodation.

Vídeo

STAGES OF COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT

Infant tries to make sense of the world. Knowledge of the world is limited to sensory perceptions and motor activities.

SENSORIMOTOR STAGE

from birth to age 2

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Skills utilized to learn about the environment: looking, sucking, groping, grasping, listening.

Nombre del autor

Eg: object permanence, ability to form mental representation, imitation.

PREOPERATIONAL STAGE

Reasoning is dominated by perception. Children are unable to take other people's viewpoint: egocentrism. They become adept at using symbols (evidenced in pretend play–broom as horse). Role playing.

Language development is one of the hallmarks of this period. Children do not yet understand concrete logic, cannot mentally manipulate information.

between 2 and 6/7

CONCRETE OPERATIONAL STAGE

7 to 11 (+/-)

Children gain a better understanding of mental operations (seriation, classification). They begin thinking logically about concrete events or problems. Children have difficulty understanding abstract or hypothetical concepts.

12 into adulthood

FORMAL OPERATIONAL STAGE

Individuals develop the ability to think about abstract and hypothetical concepts. Skills such as logical thought, deductive reasoning, and systematic planning also emerge during this stage. Ability to judge. Adaptation to the adult world. The ability to systematically solve a problem in a logical and methodological way emerges.

PIAGET'S IMPACT ON EDUCATIONPiaget did not specifically apply his theory to education. However, many educational programmes are built upon the belief that children should be taught at the level for which they are developmentally prepared.

THANKS

Knowledge is actively constructed, learning is presented as a process of active discovery.The role of the teacher is to facilitate discovery by providing the necessary resources and by guiding learners as they attempt to assimilate new knowledge to old and to modify the old to accommodate the new.

TYPES

Two major types of constructivist learning perspectives: Cognitive Constructivism Social Constructivism.

• Constructivists place greater importance on strategies that help students to actively assimilate and accommodate new material.
• Constructivists suggested methods which require students to monitor their own learning (motivation).

Knowledge is actively constructed by learners. Knowledge comprises active systems of intentional mental representations derived from past learning experiences.

'Cognitive learning theory sees motivation as largely intrinsic. Because it involves significant restructuring of existing cognitive structures, successful learning requires a major personal investment on the part of the learner.' (Perry, 1999, p54).

Three types of knowledge

"All knowledge is a construction resulting from the child's action.' Physical knowledge: DISCOVERY: knowledge of physical properties of objects/events. Logical-mathematical knowledge: constructed from actions of the child on objects (not inherent in them). Social knowledge: cultural and social groups conventions.