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Module 2: Introduction to Cognitive Development 

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Use the readings, videos, and the supplemental resources in this guide to complete the
study focus questions below.  Note that the notebook includes active links to some of
the resources, i.e. videos, graphic organizers, practice questions.

**TIP – If you plan to print the notebook out and fill it in by hand, you can add spaces in
the charts for your notes beforehand. 

 
After engaging with this module, you should be able to do the following: 

 Explain Piaget's theory of cognitive development. 

 Explain Vygotsky's theory of cognitive development. 
 Contrast Piaget's and Vygotsky's theories of cognitive development. 
 Identify cognitive development levels and expectations. 

 
Milestone 1: Explain Piaget's theory of cognitive development below, including
expectations of children at each level. 
 
Stage  Ages  Cognitive Developmental Expectations 
 
Sensorimotor Stage  Birth to 2  The infant knows the world through their movements
years and sensations. Learn about the world through basic
  actions such as sucking, grasping, looking, and listening.
  Learn that things continue to exist even though they
  cannot be seen (object permanence). They are separate
beings from the people around them. They realize that
their actions can cause things to happen in the world
around them.
 Preoperational Stage  2 to 7 years  Children begin to think symbolically and learn to use
  words and pictures to represent objects. Children at this
  stage tend to be egocentric and struggle to see things
  from the perspective of others. While they are getting
  better with language and thinking, they still tend to think
about things in very concrete terms.
Concrete Operational   7 to 11 years  Children begin thinking logically about concrete events,
  they begin to understand the concept of conservation;
  that the amount of liquid in a short, wide cup is equal to
  that in a tall, skinny glass, for example. Their thinking
  becomes more logical and organized, but still very
concrete. Children begin using inductive logic, or
reasoning from specific information to a general
 principle.
Formal Operational   12 and up  The adolescent or young adult begins to think abstractly
  and reason about hypothetical problems. Abstract
  thought emerges. Teens begin to think more about
  moral, philosophical, ethical, social, and political issues
  that require theoretical and abstract reasoning. Begin to
use deductive logic, or reasoning from a general
principal to specific information.
 

Milestone 2: Describe factors that influence how children learn and grow (according to
Piaget) here
 
 
A schema includes both a category of
knowledge and the process of obtaining
Schemes that knowledge. As experiences happen,
this new information is used to modify,
add to, or change previously existing
schemas. For example, a child may
have a schema about a type of animal,
such as a dog. If the child’s sole
experience has been with small dogs, a
child might believe that all dogs are
small, furry, and have four legs.
Suppose then that the child encounters
an enormous dog. The child will take in
this new information, modifying the
previously existing schema to include
these new observations.

The process of taking in new information

into our already existing schemas is
Assimilation known as assimilation. The process is
somewhat subjective because we tend
to modify experiences and information
slightly to fit in with our preexisting
beliefs. In the example above, seeing a
dog and labeling it “dog” is a case of
assimilating the animal into the child’s
dog schema.
 Another part of adaptation involves
changing or altering our existing
Accommodation schemas in light of new information, a
process known as accommodation.
Accommodation involves modifying
existing schemas, or ideas, as a result
of new information or new experiences.
New schemas may also be developed
during this process.

Piaget believed that all children try to

strike a balance between assimilation
Equilibrium and accommodation, which is achieved
through a mechanism Piaget called
equilibration. As children progress
through the stages of cognitive
development, it is important to maintain
a balance between applying previous
knowledge (assimilation) and changing
behavior to account for new knowledge
(accommodation). Equilibration helps
explain how children can move from one
stage of thought to the next.

 
Video Review  The Basic Principles of Piaget’s Theory 
Piaget’s 4 Stages of Cognitive Development

  
Milestone 3: Explain Vygotsky's theory of cognitive development below

Key concept
 
 Zone of proximal development
 
 
 Scaffolding
 
Role of language/speech in
development
 Social nature of learning
Explanation 
 Most sensitive to the information being given, at the cusp of
being able to understand the information. The link between
what you can do and what you cannot do.
 Scaffolding off of the zone of proximal development allows
the child to acquire the skill much more quickly.
 By around 3 years of age, Vygotsky believes that speech
and thought become interdependent.
 

 
Video Review  Vygotsky 
Piaget vs. Vygotsky

Milestone 4: Contrast Piaget's and Vygotsky's theories of cognitive development. (P 17)

 
Concept  Piaget  Vygotsky 
 
Sociocultural context   Little emphasis  Strong emphasis
 
 
 
Constructivism   Cognitive constructivist  Social constructivist
   
 
 

Stages   Strong emphasis on stages of  No general stages of development

developments proposed

Key processes in  Equilibration; schema; adaptation;  Zone of proximal development;

developing assimilation; accommodation scaffolding; language/dialogue;
and learning  tools of the culture
 

Role of Language   Minimal – Language provides  Major – Language plays a

labels for children’s experiences powerful role in shaping thought
(egocentric speech)
 

Teaching Implications  Support children to explore their  Establish opportunities for children
world and discover knowledge to learn with the teacher and more
  skilled peers

Graphic Organizer  Cognitive theories

Slide Review  Cognitive Development 

Module Key Terms 

Instructions: Be sure you can define, explain and provide examples for the following terms 
Piaget Vygotsky
Schemes/Schema Zone of proximal development
Adaptation Scaffolding
Assimilation Social speech
Accommodation Private speech
Equilibration Inner speech
Sensorimotor
Object permanence
Preoperational
Egocentrism
Concrete operational
Reversibility
Formal operational

Complete the Module Module 2 Practice Questions