Introduction
One of the key child development theorists who laid the foundations of constructivism was Jean Piaget. In this chapter, you will be introduced to his theory. Through engaging with this content, it is anticipated that you will:
• develop insights into Piaget's theory of child development
• understand what underpins a constructivist view of learning
• become aware of the strengths and limitations of Piaget's theory of child development.
The chapter begins with an overview of Piaget's theory set alongside examples of how this theory can be used to analyse the Culturally Diverse Preschool case study and what it might mean for children and their families from the Building Bridges Community case study. Links will also be made to the Collective Inquiry School case study. However, before you look at Piaget's theory, it is important to meet the person behind the ideas that have shaped curriculum and pedagogy in early childhood and primary education in many countries.
Biography of Piaget
Born in Switzerland in 1896, Jean Piaget showed a deep interest in nature, studying birds, fish and other animals in the environment in which he lived. His focus at school was on the biological sciences. At the age of 11 years, he published his first paper in a magazine on natural history, and thereafter he assisted the director of the Natural History Museum to classify and catalogue zoological specimens. Between the ages of 15 and 18, he studied molluscs and published a series of articles on these shellfish.
During his adolescence, Piaget spent time with his godfather, who introduced him to philosophy, broadening his interests from the natural sciences to religion and logic, leading to an interest in epistemology: What is knowledge? How is it acquired? Is it possible to gain an objective understanding of external reality? His interests led him to consider the need to bring epistemology and biological sciences together.
Piaget studied biology, completing his undergraduate studies in 1916, and two years later submitting his PhD thesis on the study of molluscs of the Valais region of Switzerland. Interestingly, Piaget decided to explore psychology after completing his formal studies. He worked in two psychological laboratories where he learned about psychoanalysis.
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