Week 3-1 Reflection

1.) Micro-Session Summary
Jean Piaget believed that most individuals will pass through four learning stages in life. Individuals had three basic building blocks in order to learn which was assimilation, accommodation, and a schema.
        

2.) What Is Learning From Piaget's Individual (Cognitive) Constructivism Perspective?
Jean Piaget thought of an entire process on how an individual learns. The essential building blocks being assimilation, accommodation, and a schema. An assimilation is when an individual encounters a new idea and where they must fit this idea into something they already know. This is where accommodation comes in because the individual must accommodate the new knowledge into a schema that they already had set in their minds. The "Schemas, Assimilation, Accommodation" video that was assigned to us this week gives us a visual picture about how these three processes work in ones mind. The individual then experiences equilibration because they must process what they have learned and must work on (for a lack of a better term) balance the mind once again. Besides these building blocks Piaget also discovered that most individuals in life will also pass through 4 Cognitive Development Stages which are: Sensorimotor, Preoperational, Concrete Operational, and Formal Operational. Each stage an individual accomplishes something by the end and once they have they will move on to the next stage.
     
3.) What Are The Big Things That You Learned About Piaget's Constructivism?
One major thing that I learned about this section was how important it is to let a child figure out/work through a task on their own. For instance, in the video that was assigned to us this week, "Double Column Addition Piaget," the teacher was teaching the kids how to add or subtract in a double column fashion. She would let the kids yell out answers, she would write them on the board, and then would take a vote to see what answer was right, and would ask the child who gave the wrong answer if they were sticking to it or not. Most of the time the child would change their mind and go with the rest of the class. However, the ones who wouldn't change their mind, she would let them explain on how they came to that conclusion. Even the children who were correct would explain how they got to their conclusion. Overall, the teacher not correcting them right away, I think is an amazing opportunity because whether the kids are right or wrong, she let them think it out which helps them develop their cognitive skills.

                                   

4.) Do You Think Piaget's Individual (Cognitive) Constructivism Demonstrates Your Own Beliefs In How Human Learning Occurs Well? If So/Not, Why?
I agree with Piaget in terms of the assimilation, accommodation, and schema process. However, as for the four cognitive stages I would have to disagree because I believe that every child is different so one child may be more advanced than another. For instance, the experiments he did in order to develop these stages, was proven that these experiments were too advanced for the age groups. However, if one were to give a child a simpler version of these experiments it was proven that the child could indeed do it. Overall, I think the building blocks (i.e. accommodation and assimilation) are a great concept that could easily be applied to a classroom.


                                      

5.) Do You Have Any Questions Or Concerns About Course Learning?
I do not have any questions or concerns regarding this material.

6.)

	Modules	Topics  & Activity	Check ✓ if Completed
Week 3	Week 3-1 *Due by July 31 at 10:59 am	1) Week 3-1 Reading Quiz	✔
		2) Week 3-1 Discussion Forum: one initial response & two peer feedback replies	✔
		3) Week 3-1 Personal Blog Reflection	✔
	Week 3-2 *Due by July 31 at 10:59 am	1) Week 3-2 Reading Quiz
		2) Week 3-2 Discussion Forum: One initial response & two peer feedback replies
		3) Week 3-2 Personal Blog Reflection

7.) Sammi Mahoney Blog Response: 

Sammi,
I enjoyed reading your blog especially when you mentioned how you did the water experiment with the kids you were looking after. I always felt that this experiment definitely showed the difference in how an older and a younger child thinks. I think it’s even more interesting when the younger child tries to explain why the taller glass has more water, even after they saw you pour a cup of water into the taller glass. Thanks for sharing your findings in regards to that experiment!
-Melissa

Courtney Eaton Response:

Courtney,
As always, I enjoyed reading your blog because you always seem to point out things that I myself have thought about. For instance, before this class (like you) I have never heard of the equilibrium process. In all honestly I thought that the only things I had to know about were schemas, accommodation, and assimilation. Plus, I enjoyed how you reviewed the equilibrium process since it's always nice to have a refresher on what it is.
-Melissa