DOCUMENT RESUME ED 309 084 SE 050 740 TITLE "Contributions of Piaget to Science Education." Science Education. Science Curriculum Concept Paper #2. INSTITLTION Oregon State Dept. of Education, Salem. PUB DATE Jun 89 NOTE 13p.; For another concept paper see SE 050 739. PUB TYPE Reports - Descriptive (141) -- Reference Materials - Bibliographies (131) EDRS PRICE MF01/PC01 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS Cognitive Development; Educational Objectives; Elementary School Science; Elementary Secondary Education; *Epistemology; *Intelligence; *Piagetian Theory; Science Curriculum; *Science Education; *Science Teachers; Secondary School Science ABSTRACT This paper discusses the implications of Piaget's theory to science education. The first section of the paper, "What Science Teachers Need To Know: Scientific Knowledge and Its Source," describes three sources of students' knowledge and corresponding educational practices. The second section, "Functions of Intelligence," discusses the concept of knowledge and provides a table comparing the traditional ideas, Piaget's science of knowledge, and its educational implications of eight functions of intelligence, including perception, learning, error, problems, imitation, language, imagery, and memory. The third section, "Conclusions," discusses the understanding of several Piagetian terms, teaching implications, and the goals of science education. The last section, "References," is an annotated bibliography on functions of intelligence, development of students' activity, developmental psychology, genetic epistemology, structures, education, and other works. A total of 42 references are listed. (YP) **********************************1.*****************************/F****** * Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made * * from the original document. * *********************************************************************** "PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS U S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Revarch and Improvement MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY DUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (EPIC) S. J. Case ,This document has been reproduced as received from the Person or 0,98n,Zat,On Joginetng 4 E Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES Points of view or opinions stated in INS dOeu ment do not necessarily represent official INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)" OERI VOStiOn or 00tiCy Oregon Department of Education SCIENCE EDUCATION " Contributions of Piaget to Science Education" SCIENCE CURRICULUM CONCEPT PAPER #2 0 ,q What Science Teachers Need to Know: Scientific Knowledge and Its Source Like scientists, science educators need scientific (a) External -- If the source of scientific knowledge is knowledge regarding the objects and phenomena which thought to be outside the learner, then the teacher are studied and understood in their disciplines.But may become a giver of lectures, explainer, and science educators also need another science not needed organizer of demonstrations and hands-on expe- by scientists. Science educators need scientific knowl- riences. edge about how students develop an understanding of sci- (b) Internal -- If the source of scientific knowledge is entific concepts (Piaget, 1973b, pp. 21-23; 1970f, 166- thought to be inside the learner, then the teacher 173). may seek to use 'discovery methods' and draw Educators' understanding of the development of upon the learner's innate capabilities or wait for scientific knowledge distinguishes science education as a them to develop. profession and accounts for its very difficult nature. In short, science teachers must not only know scientific(c) Activity -- If the source of scientific knowledge is concepts; they must also understand how concepts de- thought to be in the reorganization of activity to velop in students' thought (Piaget, 1970f, pp. 123-133; rebalance internal organizations with outsidefac- 1973b, pp. 35-37). tors, then the teacher may seek to work with stu- There are three possible sources for concepts dents' mental activities, not simply performances, formed by human thought: in order to develop the activities students attempt to initiate and adapt to reality (Piaget 1970f, pp. 25- (a) concepts are formed and located outside the learner 29, pp. 137-180; 1973b, pp. 9-11, 92-109). and are transmitted to the learner, (b) concepts are hereditary intuitions and are ex- Piaget contributed a science of knowledge, ge- pressions of innate capabilities to observe and netic epistemology, which studies and explains the source generalize, or of knowledge. Piaget's genetic epistemology focuses on the mechanisms which develop biological activity until it (c) concepts are developed by constructive processesreaches the level of scientific thought. Genetic episte- within the activity of the learner (Piaget, 1952, pp.mologyexplains how human intelligence is a con- 357-419; 1960, pp. 1-17; 1972, pp. 63-93). tinuation of biological adaptation in which human activ- ity makes contact with, and fits itself to, reality such that Three Views. The three explanations of theit comes to reflect reality in the precise manner of scien- source of students' knowledge lead to different educa-tific knowledge (Piaget, 1960, pp. 14-17; 1970b. p. 12; tional practices: 1972, pp. 19-20, 52-62). .-...M. -1-9 I Contributions of Piaget to Science Education 1 Functions of Intelligence in research on the development of knowledge,which allow immediate comprehensionof meaning. Piaget's scientific findings of genetic epistemology showTeachers verbal information can only trigger mental that knowledge is not a state or a thing which is stored oractivity at the levels of organization which students have transmitted.Knowledge is mental activity which ac-themselves developed (Piaget, 1973a, p. 119). tively organizes and acts on reality and thereby also fits Traditional ideas of knowledge believe it to be a itself to it. Mental activity arises out of the continuationstate formed prior to its presentation, a 'body of material' of behavioral activity by reconstruction and concep-to be covered. These ideas lead to educational focus on tualization in systems of mental activities (Piaget, 1973a,how to present lessons, how to get and hold students' pp. 49-61; 1971a, pp. 1-7). attention, at what level various concepts can be taught, what kind of activities best reinforce teaching, how to test Piaget's contribution was to change to determine what material has been retained, and other knowledge from a noun to a verb concerns involved in the transmission of knowledge and knowledge is something students do, its reception by students. Piaget's science of genetic epis- not something students have. temology raises different kinds of educational problems because knowledge is understood as arising from stu- The implication of Piaget's research for sciencedents' activity. education is that knowledge cannot be pre-organized and Table 1 summarizes some of the functions of transmitted to students. Rather, knowledge must be de-intelligence Piaget studied to determine if knowledge is veloped through students' activity because teachers cannotthe product of a transmission and reception, if it is innate transmit to students the coordination of mental activitiessuch as a basic ability to reason or observe, or if it into concepts nor do students have innate capabilitiesdevelops from activity (what Piaget calls 'assimilation') (see references for citations). Table 1 Topic and Problem Traditional Idea Piaget's Science Implications of Piaget's of Knowledge Science of Knowledge 1. Perception How does perception man-Perception or observation Perception depends on co- Ask students to generate and age to produce apparentis a direct impression orordinations organized by organize demonstrations, copies of reality? copy of reality received sensory motor activities models, visuals, and their ob- through the senses and which shapes, determines, servations.Do not present therefore the most honest and corrects what is per- demonstrations, models, or data we have of an object. ceived. Perception in itself visuals to transmitknowledge. lacks objectivity. 2. Learning Does knowledge accumu-From generalization of Learning only exercises ex-Make teaching focus on how lateand develop from learn- many leaning experiences, 'sting methods of under- learners organize a method, not ing or does learning dependstudents form more abstract standing. Development ofon answers. Have students orga- on development? knoll. ledge. Learning expc- understanding is producednize learning activities. Do not 1 riencesproduce de- by students' attempts toorganize methods or completed velopment. coordinateand organize ac-knowledge for presentation to tivity and to work out itsstudents. problems. IMINENIMIIII, IWO - 2 - 3 Contributions of Piactet to Science Education Topic and Problem Traditional Idea Piaget's Science Implications of Piaget's of Knowiedge Science of Knowledge 3. Contradictions/ Error Errors indicate incorrectErrors aren't failures of Let students produce and 'own' learning but of understand- results of their activities. Feed- What is the role of errors learning of skills or con- tent presented by teachering; they are reflections of back mechanism is presenta- and misconceptions pro- tion of method and results to duced in students' work? or text. Monitoring andstudents' methods of un- correctivefeedbackisderstanding and are needed peers which forces auto-correc- necessary to prevent erro-by students to sec results of tion. Errors are useful results. neous learning.