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ERIC Number: ED241386
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 1983-Oct
Pages: 14
Abstractor: N/A
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Piagetian Theory as an Organizer for Geographic Skills and Experiences.
Richards, Les
Piagetian stages of cognitive development are reviewed, and what teachers of geography skills, particularly map skills, can do to make use of Piaget's theory of child development is discussed. Piaget describes children at four different stages: (1) sensorimotor stage--birth to 2 years, (2) preoperational stage--ages 2-7, (3) concrete operational stage--ages 7-12, and (4) formal operational stage--ages 12 and older. The characteristics that a child displays at each of these stages are described. Geography teachers must find out at what stage their students are in terms of their experiences, develop learning activities which build on these experiences, and structure other experiences which take into account the four forces that shape learning--i.e., maturation, the environment, equilibration, and socialization. Thus, with children who are at the preoperational level, for example, map skills activities might be taught by having students view and draw objects from different perspectives or identify familiar objects from air photographs. At the concrete level, students could construct models of familiar areas. Students at the formal operational level could do map work emphasizing the use of symbols. (RM)
Publication Type: Opinion Papers; Speeches/Meeting Papers
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A