Theories

• Piaget Schemas


  Assimilation - Children construct their own theory or schema

  Equilibrium - All experiences up to now fit this schema

  Disequilibrium - An experience happens that does not fit the ideas of the schema

  Accommodation - The child changes the original schema so that it once again makes sense with all their current experiences
• Piaget Stages of Cognitive Development:

  Sensorimotor (0-2 years)

  Pre-operational (2-7 years)

  Concrete Operational (7-11 years)

  Formal Operational (11-15 years)
• Bruner's modes of cognitive representation

  Enactive - Learning and thought because of physical movements

  Iconic - Thoughts are developed as images

  Symbolic - Symbols, including language, are used in thinking
• Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems

  Micro - Direct connection to child (home, classes, swimming)

  Meso - Two or more microsystems together (parents evening, grandparent watches dance recital)

  Exo - One step ahead of direct experience (parents work)

  Macro - Out of parent and child's control (police station, government makes healthcare expensive)

  Chrono - experiences encountered in the past (birth of a new sibling, parents divorce, graduating from school)