Unit 1: Understanding Development

& Diversity

EDUA 1800
January 12, 2010

1
Unit Question:

What characteristics do our

students bring to the
classroom?

2
Problem in Practice:

A group of vocal parents wants you to

introduce workbooks to teach basic arithmetic
to your Kindergarten class (4- and 5-year
olds). They seem to think that “play” with
blocks, sand, water, clay, and so on is “wasted
time.” How would you respond?

3
Principles of Development

Rate Orderly

Nature & Nurture

4
The way one thinks develops over time.

Cognitive
Development

5
Theories of Cognitive Development

Piaget
Vygotsky
Information Processing

6
Jean Piaget (1896-1980)

7
8
The process of coming to know

Schemes

Adaptation

Assimilation
Accommodation
Equilibration 9
Stages of Cognitive Development

10
The child begins to interact with the
environment

Sensorimotor
Birth – 2 years

11
The child begins to represent the world
symbolically.

Preoperational
2 – 7 years

12
The child learns rules such as conservation.

Concrete Operational
7 – 11 years
Grades 2 - 6

13
The adolescent can transcend concrete
situations and think about the future.

Formal Operational
11 years +
Grade 6+

14
15
16
17
Next class:

Personal, Social, and Moral Development

Prep: Read Chapter 3

Bring textbook to class

18