The Cognitive Development Theory
http://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/piaget.html
Jean Piaget created one of the three most famous cognitive theories. His Cognitive Developmental Theory emphasizes the importance of developing the conscience thought throughout life. In his theory, Piaget suggests that people actively go through life constructing a cognitive understanding of the world. They do this by organizing and adapting ideas.
As people organize ideas, separating the less important from the more important they create schemas, or mental frameworks that allow humans to chunk information together. Schemas allow people to make sense of current experiences based on past experiences. Often adolescents use assimilation (the act of adding information to an existing schema) or accommodation (the act of adjusting a schema for new information) to adapt schemas or ideas in their minds.
Piaget’s theory consists of four cognitive stages. Each stage is more dynamic than the one before it.
Piaget’s Four Stages of Cognitive Development
1. Sensorimotor Stage (birth to 2 years old)- In this stage a child will learn about their surroundings using their senses (touch, taste, sight, smell, and hearing). At first the child will use their senses reflexively (the sucking reflex); however, as the child learns about their surroundings the reflexive instincts change into more choice physical actions (learns that sucking creates food and comfort, the child will learn to suck by choice if hungry or not). The child may start using some form of symbolic thinking, but not much. They still probably don’t understand concepts such as object permanence.
2. Preoccupation Thought Stage (2 to 7 years old)- In this stage a child will begin to understand symbolic thought more thoroughly (putting meaning to words). Because the understanding of symbolism is more advanced at this stage a child is able to understand that they are an individual person. This can lead to some egocentrism (or self-centered thought and action).
3. Concrete Operational Stage (7 to 11 years old)- In this stage children and adolescents are able to logically reason through events and come up with solutions. Organizational skills expand, and the ability to think through processes rather than do just do them becomes stronger.
4. Formal Operational Stage (achieved between 15 to 20 years of age and last through adulthood)- In this stage an adolescent can think about very abstract ideas without any concrete examples or ideas in front of them. They develop the ability to conjure logical ideas and solutions to problems based on previous experiences. Formal operational thought allows for critical thinking abilities to expand and grow stronger. Adolescents are able to use hypothetical-deductive-reasoning (ability to hypothesize) in order to find solutions to problems. This stage has two sub-stages. The first sub-stage is called the Early Formal Operational Thought. This is when an adolescent newly understands their ability for hypothetical thought, and they start to think about as many solutions to problems as possible (even very unrealistic solutions). The second sub-stage is the Late Formal Operational Thought. This is when a person gains the ability to control their hypothetical solutions, and begins to think only about realistic solutions to problems.
After successfully going through each of the four stages of Cognitive Development, a person should be able to conduct thought symbolically, hypothetically, and practically. However, it is important to remember that adolescents achieve the last stage (Formal Operational) at different ages causing differences in learning abilities in the and out of the classroom. (Miller, 2011)
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Theory Applied in the Classroom
http://www.seattleschools.org/modules/cms/pages.phtml?pageid=192378
As a middle school teacher it is important to remember that students are typically still in the concrete operational stage of thinking. Meaning they are not yet fully able to comprehend abstract thought, but students should be able think critically in certain situations. However, it is possible that some students have been able to get to the formal operational stage. Knowing this, and having knowledge of Piaget’s theory should enable the teacher to create efficient lesson plans that will both stimulate and teach all students.
Knowing that students may vary when it comes to cognitive ability requires a teacher to be flexible with lesson plans. She wants the class to be challenging for those who are at a higher cognitive level yet easy enough for students who are not yet at that higher level to be successful. A Social Studies teacher may do this by assigning a project over World War 2. Instead of having each person do the same thing, the teacher may let each student choose what they wanted to do (ex: poster with pictures and explanations about different aspects of the war, an interview with a family member who was there after which the student has to create a Powerpoint, a Prezi that demonstrates a country of choice’s involvement in the war explaining how it effected the outcome.) The teacher may even recommend certain students choose a certain project type. Doing a project like this allows students to do something that pertains to their own creativity and cognitive level. It allows those students who want to be challenged to do just that, and those who need help staying afloat in the class a chance to catch up. (2.2)
A teacher of the twenty-first century also is very aware of all the new technology available to them in the classroom. If a teacher is lucky enough to be in a well-adapted community (mean a community with the newer technology readily available) the teacher should take advantage of the supplies available to her. As a History teacher teaching about the thousands of Americans who traveled across the nation for better lives, it is really easy to set up a day or two when the students can get on laptops and play Oregon Trail. Not only does this help the students understand what it was like in the early 1900s, but it also stimulates the child’s thinking processes differently than in a normal classroom setting. In order for an adolescent to fully develop into Formal Operational Stage it is important for them to exercise their cognitive abilities in a variety of ways. Computer games can be a really good break from the usual schoolwork. (2.9)
Every now and then a teacher may have a student who is far along in their cognitive development. In this case, it is important for a teacher to recognize the student’s exceptional abilities to reason logically, and hypothetically. In order to actually teach this student and strengthen their thought processes, a teacher may allow that student to help other students who are having problems in the class for extra credit. This way the student has to think logically how to help the other student. This can help the exceptional student grasp a deeper understanding of the material. (1.5)
Knowing that students may vary when it comes to cognitive ability requires a teacher to be flexible with lesson plans. She wants the class to be challenging for those who are at a higher cognitive level yet easy enough for students who are not yet at that higher level to be successful. A Social Studies teacher may do this by assigning a project over World War 2. Instead of having each person do the same thing, the teacher may let each student choose what they wanted to do (ex: poster with pictures and explanations about different aspects of the war, an interview with a family member who was there after which the student has to create a Powerpoint, a Prezi that demonstrates a country of choice’s involvement in the war explaining how it effected the outcome.) The teacher may even recommend certain students choose a certain project type. Doing a project like this allows students to do something that pertains to their own creativity and cognitive level. It allows those students who want to be challenged to do just that, and those who need help staying afloat in the class a chance to catch up. (2.2)
A teacher of the twenty-first century also is very aware of all the new technology available to them in the classroom. If a teacher is lucky enough to be in a well-adapted community (mean a community with the newer technology readily available) the teacher should take advantage of the supplies available to her. As a History teacher teaching about the thousands of Americans who traveled across the nation for better lives, it is really easy to set up a day or two when the students can get on laptops and play Oregon Trail. Not only does this help the students understand what it was like in the early 1900s, but it also stimulates the child’s thinking processes differently than in a normal classroom setting. In order for an adolescent to fully develop into Formal Operational Stage it is important for them to exercise their cognitive abilities in a variety of ways. Computer games can be a really good break from the usual schoolwork. (2.9)
Every now and then a teacher may have a student who is far along in their cognitive development. In this case, it is important for a teacher to recognize the student’s exceptional abilities to reason logically, and hypothetically. In order to actually teach this student and strengthen their thought processes, a teacher may allow that student to help other students who are having problems in the class for extra credit. This way the student has to think logically how to help the other student. This can help the exceptional student grasp a deeper understanding of the material. (1.5)