Piaget - Post 1

This module talked about individual (Piaget) and social (Vygotskey) constructivism and cognitive development. Piaget mainly believed in individual constructivism. This is where a student constructs knowledge by his or herself using previous knowledge he or she has gained through experience.On the other hand, Vygotskey mostly believed in social constructivism. Social constructivism is when students construct knowledge in a social context (social interactions). Piaget's theory discusses cognitive development and the stages one goes through in his or her life. Piaget says that infants start out in the sensorimotor stage. This is where they construct knowledge through their senses and their experiences they have through this. Next is the pre-operational stage. This is where children think one way. They are egocentric. These kids cannot think of what other people's feelings or thoughts are. They think only of themselves. After this would be the operational stage. The operational stage is where kids can think logically and concretely. Lastly is the formal operational stage. This is where students can think more abstractly about information.

According to Piaget, development is moving from one stage of thought to another and also a biological process. Learning is then moving within the stages through exploration and experience, changing one's schemas, and constructing knowledge based on experience. Brain researchers would probably not agree with Piaget's theory. This is because brain researchers believe that younger children can learn better than adults. They would not agree with the stages that are in Piaget's theory.


A teacher would most likely have students work in groups based off of Vygotskey's theory. This is because Vygotskey believed in social constructivism where the students would learn better in a social context where they are interacting with their peers.