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--- learning_theories:stage_theory_of_cognitive_development [2011/04/11 09:50]
jpetrovic [What is stage theory of cognitive development?]
+++ learning_theories:stage_theory_of_cognitive_development [2011/04/11 14:19]
jpetrovic [Criticism]
@@ Line 16: / Line 16: @@
   * **Formal-operational period** (11 to adolescence) : Piaget claims that the **final form of cognition** is reached in this stage. Abstract thinking capabilities in this stage are very similar to ones of adults. Individual at this stage is also capable of **hypothetical and deductive** but also **reflective and analytical reasoning skills**. This is supposed to be the final stage of cognitive development and although the knowledge base of an individual is still to be expanded, his thinking capabilities are now as strong as they would get.
-The importance of the Piaget's stage model are the constrains that stage of cognitive development sets on learning. These constrains mean that:
-  * what can be learned depends on the current developmental stage,
-  *
 ((Piaget also uses concepts of schema and schemata, later expanded by Anderson. See: [[learning_theories:Schema theory]]))
@@ Line 25: / Line 21: @@
 ===== What is the practical meaning of stage theory of cognitive development? =====
+The importance of the Piaget's stage model are the constrains that stage of cognitive development sets on learning. These constrains mean that what can be learned depends on the current developmental stage. One should be taught to apply developed cognitive structures to new material, but to learn new strategies first the related cognitive structure has to evolve.
 Piaget's theory suggests that in order to make learning effective, learner's stage of the cognitive development needs to be taken into account. General suggestions for adopting teaching methods to the four stages of development are following:
@@ Line 43: / Line 41: @@
 ===== Criticism =====
-Various criticisms of Piaget's work include:
+A common criticism of Piaget's theory lies on the fact that nor him or coworkers didn't leave an instrument for diagnosing child's current stage of cognitive development. Still, as a border between preoperational period and operational period Piaget suggested **conservation experiments**. For example, two equal glasses filled with liquid are presented to a child, after which liquid out of one glass is poured into a third, more narrow glass. The child is then asked which glass holds more liquid. Only a child in the concrete- or formal-operational  period should realize both glasses hold equal amount of liquid. According to Piaget's theory, these stage differences cannot be overcome using any kind of training.
-  * **Oversimplification of stages**/**underestimating abilities of children** - it has been shown that in some cases children can learn some concepts even before reaching a particular stage. Piaget's stages are therefore **not as distinct** as he assumed.
-  * **Unscientific method** - Piaget based his conclusions on observations of a rather small number of children who do **not** necessarily form **a statistically representative sample**.
-It is often considered that Piaget's **experiments weren't designed carefully enough** to exclude other explanations, that he offered to **little evidence** for his theory and that he didn't address important questions like **social and motivational influences** on cognitive development.
+But a number of experiments((For details see: [[http://www.scribd.com/doc/41760294/Educational-Psychology-a-Century-of-Contributions|Zimmerman, Barry J., and Dale H. Schunk. Educational psychology: a century of contributions. Routledge, 2003.]])) have proved the opposite. The child's **ability to learn** (at least for conservation concepts) **is not so strictly defined by his current stage of cognitive development** in accordance with Piaget's theory.
+As the result criticisms of Piaget usually emphasized that,
+  * his development stages were often considered to be **oversimplified** or **underestimating abilities of children**
+  * his **experiments** are considered **not to be designed carefully enough** to exclude other explanations,
+  * he offered to **little evidence** for his theory, and that
+  * he didn't address important questions like **social and motivational influences** on cognitive development.
 ===== Keywords and most important names =====
@@ Line 59: / Line 57: @@
   * [[http://www.piaget.org/aboutPiaget.html|Jean Piaget]]
 ===== Bibliography =====
+[[http://www.scribd.com/doc/41760294/Educational-Psychology-a-Century-of-Contributions|Zimmerman, Barry J., and Dale H. Schunk. Educational psychology: a century of contributions. Routledge, 2003.]]
 [[http://penta.ufrgs.br/edu/telelab/3/piaget%27s.htm|Redes de Computadores e suas aplicações na Educação - Piaget's Stage Theory of Development.]] Retrieved March 21, 2011.

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