Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive Development: Summary
The Piaget’s theory consits of four different stages of cognitive development. The first one is sensorimotor stage, which is the first of four stages in the process of cognitive development. It lasts from birth to about two years, and during this period, children develop rapidly (Babakr et al. 518). This period includes the development of an understanding of the world through the coordination of sensory experiences with motor actions. The second stage, which is called the preoperational one, begins at the age of two and lasts until seven.
During this period, children think on a symbolic level but cannot use cognitive operations. The concrete operational stage is the third stage and is characteristic of children from seven to eleven years old, which is accompanied by the development of organized and rational thinking (Babakr et al. 519). The final stage is the formal operational, which begins around the age of twelve and continues into adulthood (Babakr et al. 519). Having entered this stage, teenagers acquire the ability to think abstractly through the manipulation of ideas. Hence, human intelligence follows several main stages in its development.
Piaget applied several concepts to complement the understanding of empirical learning that includes a holistic approach. Holistic method means learning based on reflection, feedback, and skills. For example, the concept of schema refers to the type of cognitive organization that exists between categories at a given time (Mcleod). Schema can be generated in different degrees of abstraction. Theoretical learning is based on the fact that the mind of human organisms is the result of two functions. One of them is assimilation, which means an organism, encountering an external stimulus based on its current laws of organization.
The accommodation process involves changing the organization that meets the requirements of the environment. Assimilation and accommodation interact with each other in the so-called Equilibration model. This approach be explained as a process of regulation between assimilation and accommodation. Piaget’s Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) defines the difference between the results that learners achieved performing some tasks with and without help (Billings and Walqui). Scaffolding theory involves the nature of children’s cognitive development, which mainly depends on how parents instruct their children. Therefore, the theory of cognitive development functions with the help of specific concerns.
Lev Vygotsky’s Theory
There are several concepts on which Vygotsky’s learning theory is based. Teaching gives importance to the concept of more knowledgeable other (MKO). It means a person who can be anyone who better understands the task the child is trying to complete. Basically, it can be the parents, guardians, or teachers of that child. For example, young children have limited memory due to biological factors. However, it is culture that determines the type of memory strategy that people develop. For example, children in Western culture take notes in order to improve their ability to remember. The theory has no stages of learning and is not limited to academic or academic learning. Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development (ZPR) is a concept for explaining the potential of a child’s cognitive development and abilities (Mcleod, “Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory of Cognitive Development”). The term is used when the child is guided in the performance of the task and not asked to do it separately. When a child performs a task that does not correspond their abilities, the ZPD means that child is able to complete that task with the assistance of a more knowledgeable person.
Works Cited
Babakr, Zana Hasan, et al. “Piaget’s Cognitive Developmental Theory: Critical Review.” Education Quarterly Reviews, vol. 2, no. 3, 2019, pp. 517–524. Web.
Billings, Elsa, and Aida Walqui. “Zone of Proximal Development: An Affirmative Perspective in Teaching ELLs.” WestEd, 2022. Web.
Mcleod, Saul. “Jean Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive Development.” Simply Psychology. Web.
“Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory of Cognitive Development.” Simply Psychology. Web.