Jean Piaget

Jean Piaget 1896–1980 was a Swiss developmental psychologist and a philosopher known for his epistemological studies with children. Piaget was the founder of the study 'cognitive growth' and published his work in 1924. Piaget was a theorist who believed in the constructivist approach. Constructivism is based on experiential learning, constructing and conditionalising knowledge. It is a direct approach with the exploration and physical manipulation of materials. He believed that children are active learners  "lone scientist"  they find meaning regardless of social environment. He said that children are intrinsically motivated and mentally active. Jean Piaget provided a detailed map of children's thought processes from birth to adolescence. He said "We actively construct our own knowledge and that all knowledge is tied to action." He believed teachers are facilitators providing stimulating environments and that children learn through experience. For Piaget, play was vital as it formed the basis of a child's imagination." Piaget used a method called 'clinical observation' to study child thinking. 

Piaget designed four Mental Schema's which include: Assimilation, Accommodation, Equilibrium and Disequilibrium 
Assimilation is the process when new experiences are taken in and added to increase a store of understanding. Accommodation is when a new experience doesn't fit' with existing understanding and some adjustment of understanding has to take place. Equilibrium is a state of mental balance which is the goal of every learner Disequilibrium is the struggle to accommodate  new knowledge with what is already known.(cognitive growth) 
Piaget also created 4 stages of cognitive development, these include: Sensory motor stage, pre-operational stage, Concrete operational stage and Formal operational stage.
Sensory motor stage/ Pre-conceptual stage (0-2): The child comes to know the world in terms of physical action. Stage ends with acquisition and though e.g. grasping and sucking. Pre-operational stage/ Intuitive: (2-7): A child is unable to reason in any logical way. This stage is based on perceptions. Children are egocentric. Egocentrism refers to the inability of a child to see a situation from another point of view. Concrete operational stage (7-12) The ability to structure and sort out their minds in the here and now. Trial and error predominate. Thought becomes reversible. Formal operational stage (+12) Abstract and hypothetical problems can be solved. The child can manipulate understanding of the world. This is the ultimate stage of cognitive growth. These four stages were formulated as a result of experiments. Three very important key words Piaget often refer to are: Conservation, animism and object permanence. Conservation is the process where quantity will remain the same even if the presentation changes. Animism is the process where by children believe inanimate objects have emotions Object permanence is the process of knowing an object still exists even when it is hidden. Piaget referred to the blanket and ball test. 

Criticism of Piaget theory?

• Saw children as lone scientists
• Underestimated the role of the teacher 
• Lack of consideration as to where learning takes place
• Underestimated the influence of culture and the environment 
• Underestimated children and overestimated teenagers 
• Tested his children then generalised results