Middle-childhood and adolescence are very important stages of development in terms of cognitive, social, and emotional developments. Jean Piaget’s stages of concrete operations and formal operations coincide with these two stages, respectively. In this essay, I will make use of evidence from various sources to illustrate that Piaget’s theory about these stages has had a significant impact and influence on various aspects of education, and how his contributions to the understanding of cognition is invaluable.
The concrete-operations stage of development is when thinking shifts from being egocentric to being more logical. During this time, certain features (nl. Reversibility, Compensation, Conservation, Decentration, Seriation, and Transivity) develop, and children’s cognitive abilities increase (Ntshangase, 2011). During the next stage, the formal-operations stage, abstract thinking and logical reasoning develop. These then translate into problem-solving abilities, and the desire to solve problems (Shefer, 2011).
Hinde & Perry (2007) state that “Jean Piaget’s influence on twentieth-century education is indisputable.” Several elementary
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Since it characterises cognition over long periods, it is illustrative and stable (Kail, 2004). His theory has also been the subject of various research projects done by psychologists in the field (Corman & Escalona, 1969). It has been subjected to much criticism, as certain people may believe that it is too rigid, and does not take into account the cultural aspects of development, as observed in Vygotsky’s theory of cognitive development. Piaget’s theory, however, as previously mentioned, is a more universally applicable view of development and cognition (Corman & Escalona, 1969). It is not limited to certain geographical areas, or ways of thinking. It describes the overall human experience, and can be applied in an everyday