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TPF2602 assignment 51
Tpf2602 Assignment 51 Portlolio 2024 (University of South Africa)
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BTE2601 ASSESSMENT 02/2023
MODULE: BECOMING A TEACHER
ASSIGNMENT 02
NAME: SLINDILE TREASURE MPILA
STUDENT NUMBER: 19238533
MODULE CODE: BTE2601
SUBJECT NAME: BECOMING A TEACHER
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QUESTION 1
1.1 Jean Piaget’s theory of cognitive development is a comprehensive explanation of
how children interact with the world around them, accumulate knowledge, and
develop their understanding of concepts. Piaget’s theory emphasizes the importance
of learning through experience, finding patterns, and the significance of social
interactions in the formation of cognitive concepts. According to Piaget, cognitive
development is a progressive three stage process of building, shaping, and re-
balancing an individual’s mental model of the world
.
Stage 1: Sensory Motor Stage (Birth to 2 years)
The first stage of Piaget’s theory is the sensorimotor stage, which spans from birth to 2
years. During this phase, infants develop their senses and begin to understand the
cause and effect relationship between their movements and the world. Sensory
experiences are the most significant elements of the infant’s cognitive development,
with the primary focus on understanding immediate sensations. At this stage, infants
develop their object permanence (the concept that an object must exist even if it is out
of sight), which is fundamental to later stages of cognitive development.
Stage 2: Preoperational Stage (2 to 7 years)
The second stage of Piaget’s theory is the preoperational stage, lasting from 2 to 7
years. During this phase, children become more aware of their improvement and
improve their language skills. Unlike the first stage, the preoperational stage
emphasizes cognition, which means that children can develop their mental
representations of the world through language, symbols, and images. However, their
understanding is still limited and is often shaped by egocentric thinking, where children
believe that their experiences, views, and feelings are the same as others’.
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Stage 3: Concrete Operational Stage (7 to 11 years)
The third stage of Piaget’s theory is the concrete operational stage that spans from 7 to
11 years. In this stage, children start to develop more logical thinking and begin to
comprehend the relationships between the cause and effect of specific events. They
acquire the ability to rely more on logic rather that on sensory information or intuition.
They also develop more advanced mental representations and become more skilled at
the manipulation of objects and symbols.
Stage 4: Formal Operational Stage (11 to adulthood)
The final stage in Piaget’s theory is the formal operational stage and lasts from 11 years
until adulthood. During this phase, adolescents develop the ability to image hypothetical
scenarios, think abstractly, reason logically, and think critically. Formal Operational
Stage children can solve complicated mathematical problems, and they can also
discuss philosophical questions. With this stage, people can communicate their needs
effectively and contribute towards their social environment.
Conclusion
Piaget’s theory of cognitive development has played a crucial role in the understanding
of how children learn and acquire knowledge. The stages of cognitive development
highlights how children make sense of their environment through experiences that
shape their mental models of the world gradually. Piaget’s theory displays the
importance of creating challenging, age-appropriate learning environments to help
children progress and grow through the stages of cognitive development.
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