Jean Piaget's Theory of Cognitive Development: How Children Think, Learn, and Develop
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: The presentation explains how children actively construct knowledge through interaction with their environment and how their thinking changes across four developmental stages: sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational, and formal operational. It introduces the key concepts of schemas, assimilation, accommodation, and equilibration, supported by accessible examples. Major developmental abilities—including object permanence, symbolic thinking, conservation, classification, reversibility, and abstract reasoning—are discussed alongside their significance for teaching and learning. The presentation also highlights practical classroom applications, the importance of developmental readiness, and the teacher’s role as a facilitator of active exploration and discovery. Designed for students of education and psychology, teacher educators, prospective teachers, and practising educators, this resource examines both the enduring contributions and the limitations of Piaget’s theory. Keywords: Jean Piaget, Cognitive Development, Schemas, Assimilation, Accommodation, Equilibration, Stages of Cognitive Development, Object Permanence, Conservation, Constructivism, Child Development, Educational Psychology, Teaching and Learning.
Author: Mahanta, Shrutidhara
Institutions: Sibsagar University, Dibrugarh University
Language: English
Subfield: Developmental and Educational Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
SDG: Quality education
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7223923563