Jean Piaget was a Swiss philosopher and psychologist who founded genetic epistemology. He observed and interviewed young children to understand how humans create knowledge, leading to his theory that cognitive structures define knowledge development. Piaget believed students should be active participants in constructing their own knowledge and valued the intelligence of young people. He also had a passion for biology and natural history, writing hundreds of articles throughout his life.
Jean Piaget (1896-1980) was a Swiss philosopher and psychologist. His lifelong passion was to understand how humans create knowledge. Piaget’s efforts founded the discipline of genetic epistemology (biological foundations for knowledge) and established a framework that continues to influence the way teachers are trained and students are taught.
Piaget spent years observing and interviewing young children in an effort to further his theories of knowledge construction. He thought that by observing the ways in which children create meaning, he could learn more generally about the development of knowledge.
From these observations Piaget arrived at his theory according to which the development of knowledge is based on the cognitive structure. Cognitive structures are understood as the ways in which young people make sense of the world, given their lack of adult sensitivity. Each cognitive structure is well defined by a series of traits, and vaguely corresponds to specific ages: sensorimotor, 0-2 years; pre-op, 3-7 years; concrete operation, 8-11 years; formal operation, 12-15 years old.
Based on his studies, Piaget strongly felt that students should not be seen as empty vessels to be filled by expert teachers, but rather active participants in the construction of their own knowledge. The explanations they offer for natural phenomena, for example, may be flawed according to our adult sensibilities and research, but the fact that children offer explanations for these things shows that they are actively working to understand the world around them.
No wonder he valued the intelligence of young people so highly. Jean Piaget composed his first academic paper at the age of 10 when he observed curiosities about an albino sparrow that could not be explained without the help of a university library. In an effort to gain the librarian’s respect, and thus access to the library, he wrote the first of several hundred articles by him. While not Piaget’s primary academic focus, biology and natural history were things he studied and wrote passionately throughout his life.
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