The Influence on education of Pigged? s theory of cognitive development has been enormous? Pigged showed through his studies of cognitive development In children that It Is a relatively orderly process that takes place gradually. It is through Planet? s work In cognitive development that we can come to understand the way children learn and interact with the world around them. The environment affects a child? s cognitive development, as they mature their Interactions with the environment changes. Very young children within Pigged? s stage Seniority learn through imitation and use of memory.
These young children tend to forget about an object once It is removed from their field vision, they learn quickly however that when an object is not in sight that It still exists and as they mature and develop more motor skills will start to actively look for By the ages of 2-7 years, they are moving Into the stage defined by Pigged as Operational. A child in this stage of development use symbolism and language, Children will play-act things such as eating and drinking . They can look at or use a picture of an object and use it to represent an object that is not present.
Children in this stage though have difficulty thinking backwards, this is seen in Pigged? s conservation tasks(Wolff 2001). This period of development also includes a phase termed as egocentric by Pigged in as much as children think that everyone else shares the same feelings or sees the world In the same way as they do. The next stage of development signaled by Pigged Is concrete operational . It Is In this stage that most people function In dally lives. These is the point where children aged 7-11 years learn things can be changed but retain their original characteristics.
The child now solves the conservation tasks that a operational child may have failed in the concrete operational stage. Children in the concrete stage have developed their cognitive processes to a point complete and logical thinking. This logic however is based in the physical world on objects they can classify, organism and manipulate. It Is In Planet? s final stage of development that we see the ability to solve hypothetical questions and abstract problems. This Is the stage of development known as formal operations. Placement can answer hypothetical questions, think abstractedly, use reason and analyses their own thoughts and those of others. Not all children reach this stage of thinking, many children will continue to operate at the concrete operational stage through out their lives. Those that do move into formal operations may not always work within this stage and switch back and forth between Concrete operational and formal operational. There are limitations to Pigged? s theory the effects cultural influences play on the cognitive development of children was overlooked. A nomadic child would learn differently to child who attends western school.
Pigged? Organizing cognitive development into stages has helped to understand the learning process of children. The age ranges though can be misleading as children develop differently depending on their environment and culture. Pigged has had enormous influence on education though his work into the way children think. This understanding enables teachers to design lessons that will stimulate and educate their students. The use off well defined stages to show the changes in child? s cognitive development is useful but the age ranges can be misleading as some children develop faster or slower than others.
