Piaget’s theory of Cognitive Development: Extent to which it supports skills based learning in primary schools

This presentation explores Piaget’s theory of Cognitive Development and its impact on skills based learning in primary schools. It discusses the key theories of development and learning, including Vygotsky’s Sociocultural theory. The presentation also explores pedagogical approaches to skills-based learning and the influence of cognitive development theories on education.

Piaget’s theory of Cognitive
Development
Extent to which it supports skills based
learning in primary schools

Introduction
• Many theories have been proposed over the years
on cognitive learning and development
• These have assisted educators to engage properly
with children
• The theories focus on overall development of
children and not just academic
• Jean Piaget’s theory of cognitive development has
been instrumental in this regard

Key theories of development and learning
• Piaget’s Cognitive
Development
• Lev Vygotsky’s Sociocultural
Theory
• Albert Bandura’s Social
Learning Theory
• Erik Erikson’s Psychosocial
Development

Lev Vygotsky’s Sociocultural theory
• Vygotsky proposed that social
interaction plays a major role in
cognitive development
• The Zone of Proximal
Development or ZPD is one of his
theory’s most crucial concepts
• He was the most influential
cognitive theorist after Piaget

Vygotsky’s theory

The four theorists

Piaget’s Four Stages of Cognitive Development
1. Sensorimotor stage- Birth
to 2 years
2. Preoperational stage – 2
to 7 years
3. Concrete operational
stage – 7 to 11 years
4. Formal operational stage
– 12 years and above
Contd…

Piaget’s Four Stages of Cognitive Development
• Children learn about their environment through
sensations and movement in the sensorimotor
stage
• The preoperational stage is characterized by the
ability of the children to think symbolically
• In the concrete operational stage, children begin
to think logically
• Children’s ability to reason, think abstractly

The four stages

Pedagogical approaches to skills-based learning
• Play-based learning
• Collaborative problem
solving
• Creative thinking
• Integrated learning
• Peer teaching

The various pedagogical
approaches

Influence of cognitive development theories
• The theories have help shift educators’
attention towards overall development
• Classroom activities have increased
after these theories
• Focus is on learner’s developmental
and learning capabilities
• Various instructional methods are now
being used • Contd….

Influence of cognitive development theories
• Previous educational setting did not encourage
adaptation
• Instructors followed rigid methods of teaching
• Holistic development of the child was not even
considered
• Theories of cognitive development and learning
revolutionized the way teaching is done

References:
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project-based learning. Interdisciplinary journal of problem-based learning, 7(2), p.6.
Karmiloff-Smith, A., 2018. Précis of Beyond modularity: A developmental perspective on cognitive
science. In Thinking Developmentally from Constructivism to Neuroconstructivism(pp. 64-94).
Routledge.
Schonert-Reichl, K.A., Oberle, E., Lawlor, M.S., Abbott, D., Thomson, K., Oberlander, T.F. and
Diamond, A., 2015. Enhancing cognitive and social–emotional development through a simple-to-
administer mindfulness-based school program for elementary school children: A randomized
controlled trial. Developmental psychology, 51(1), p.52.
Symons, D.K. and Smith, K.H., 2014. Evidence of psychological engagement when raising a virtual
child. Psychology Learning & Teaching, 13(1), pp.52-57.
Zimmerman, B.J., 2013. Theories of self-regulated learning and academic achievement: An overview
and analysis. In Self-regulated learning and academic achievement (pp. 10-45). Routledge.

Thank