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The Theory Of Cognitive Development

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The study of cognitive development has played an influential role in the field of education by providing teachers with methods of pedagogy that maximise their student’s potential. This essay will address both Piagetian and Vygotskian theories on cognitive development in relation to the given scenario of year eight science students. We will look at how the teacher, Anne, has used relevant aspects of both theories within her classroom as well as any shortcomings of the theories in the class. Upon reading the scenario, it is evident that both Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky have significantly influenced the pedagogy of the teacher. She has taken advantage of the outdoor classroom accompanied by the use of group work in order to positively influence the cognitive development and learning experience of her year eight class.

Jean Piaget’s theory of cognitive development focuses on four sequential stages based on an age framework (Lourenço & Machado, 1996). The stages include the sensorimotor stage, preoperational stage, concrete operations stage, and the formal operations stage (Duchesne & McMaugh, 2016). According to Piaget, children enter the formal operations stage at around twelve years old (Duchesne & McMaugh, 2016). Therefore, majority of Anne’s year eight class would be in their final stage of cognitive development. However, educators cannot assume that all students are in this final stage (Wadsworth, 1996). The year eight class is likely to consist of students ranging from

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