Bilkent ACM SIGART (Special Interest Group on Artificial Intelligence)

video presentation,

Abstract: Jean Piaget's name is virtually synonymous with our understanding of cognitive development. Born in Switzerland in 1896, he developed a constructivist view of cognition, identifying four stages (Sensorimotor, Preoperational, Concrete operational and Formal operational) through which all children progress. His scientific approach provided repeatable tests and had a profound influence on educational practice. The teacher was no longer a simple giver of knowledge, but a guide providing the stimulation necessary for the learner to construct their own understanding.

As a scientist, Piaget recognised that his theories would be revised and expanded in the light of new evidence. Some researchers are now investigating how social and cultural factors affect the child's progression through the Piagetian stages. Yet others are taking a more radical view, which challenges the very foundations of Piaget's ideas.