Publisher's Synopsis
Piagetian theory was once considered able to describe the structure of development of human thought. As a result, it generated an enthusiasm that it could direct education to develop new teaching methods, particularly in science and mathematics. However, disillusionment with Piagetian theory came rather quickly because many of its structural and developmental assumptions appeared incongruent with empirical evidence. In recent years several neo-Piagetian theories have been proposed which try to preserve the strengths of Piaget's theory, while eliminating its weaknesses.;At the same time several other models have been advanced originating from different epistemological traditions, such as cognitive/differential psychology or socio-historical approaches. "Neo-Piagetian Theories of Cognitive Development" is unique in representing most of these theories and traditions. Specifically, the authors focus their work on the educational implications of their research. The chapters are organized in three parts: the first part presents a general model of cognitive development and discusses its implications for different aspects of education; the second part is devoted to learning and cognitive analysis.
