Jean Piaget

1896-1980

Alex Dugan

Sarah Ryszewski

• Full name: Jean William Fritz Piaget• Born: August 9, 1896 in Switzerland• Died: September 16, 1980 (aged 84)• Era: 20th Century philosophy• School: Constructivist• Main interest: Epistemology• Notable ideas: Genetic episemology,

Theory of cognitive development, Object permanence, egocentrism

Jean Piaget

Theory

"What the genetic epistemology proposes is discovering the roots of the different varieties of knowledge, since its elementary forms, following to the next levels, including also the scientific knowledge."

Equilibration of Cognitive Structures: The Central Problem of

Intellectual Development

• Knowledge development is a process of equilibration using two main concepts in his theory, assimilation and accommodation, as belonging not only to biological interactions but also to cognitive ones.

Jean Piaget

1896-1980

Alex Dugan

Sarah Ryszewski

Theories about Thinking

• Acting intelligently is: to think• THINKING = INTELLIGENCE • Child is learning and thinking (developing

intelligence)

• Biological and cognitive thinking develops through organization & adaptation

Stages

• Sensory-motor (birth to age 2)

• Preoperational (ages 2 to 7)

• Concrete operational (ages 7 to 12)

• Formal operational (ages 12 onwards)

Thinking and Children

• Children = constantly constructing and reconstructing

• Function of education = use ACTION-INTELLIGENCE

• Thinking is the use of child’s intelligence

• Encourage child to be involved in problem-solving play

• Important: freedom to work at own level, speed & style

Thinking and Teachers

• Stimulating activities for ALL children in classroom• Know & group children• recognize signs that a child is having trouble• Idea: child = Thinker-in-Action• provide activities that develop thinking strategies in all

subjects• focus on motivation inside the student

Jean Piaget

1896-1980

Alex Dugan

Sarah Ryszewski