Cognitive
(thinking / mental process) is a theory that prioritizes the learning process
than the outcome of the process itself. In addition, students are also required
to take an active role in the learning process, aiming to allow the students to
interact.
This theory
suggests that learning is not a burden, but learning is a necessity for the
individual. The learning that undertaken is an effort to provide assistance to
students in acquiring new information or knowledge, where the knowledge that
already possessed by students will be equipped with new knowledge they gained.
Stages of
cognitive development (Piaget, 1929 to 1980):
- Sensorimotor stage: from birth to age 2. Children experience the world through movement and senses (use five senses to explore the world). During the sensorimotor stage children are extremely egocentric, meaning they cannot perceive the world from others' Viewpoints. The sensorimotor stage is Divided into six sub stages: "(1) simple reflexes, (2) first habits and primary circular reactions, (3) secondary circular reactions, (4) coordination of secondary circular reactions, (5) tertiary circular reactions, novelty, and curiosity; and (6) internalization of schemes.”
- Preoperational stage: from ages 2 to 7 (magical thinking predominates; the motor skills are acquired). Egocentrism begins strongly and then weakens. Children cannot conserve or use logical thinking.
- Concrete operational stage: from ages 7 to 11 (children begin to think logically but are very concrete in their thinking). Children can now conserve and think logically but only with practical aids. They are no longer egocentric.
- Formal operational stage: from age 11-16 and onward (development of abstract reasoning). Children develop abstract thought and can easily conserve and think logically in their mind. source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Piaget
