Theory of Constructivism, Jean Piaget

There Are Three Basic Components To Piaget's Constructivism Theory:

1. Schemas 

(building blocks of knowledge)

2. Processes that enable the transition from one stage to another:

(equilibrium, assimilation and accommodation) 

3. Stages of Development

(Sensorimotor, Preoperational, Concrete operational, Formal operational)

Schemas

Schema is the basic building block of unit of knowledge. A schema can be defined as a set of linked mental representations of the world, which we use both to understand and to respond to situations. For example, firstly, a child understand a dog's look is from a picture book. A schema is formed when the child know that a dog has ears, four legs and a tail. 

Assimilation and Accommodation

Jean Piaget viewed intellectual growth as a process of adaptation (adjustment) to the world. This happens through:

Assimilation– Which is using an existing schema to deal with a new object or situation. 

Accommodation– This happens when the existing schema (knowledge) does not work, and needs to be changed to deal with a new object or situation. 

Equilibration– This is the force, which moves development along. Piaget believed that cognitive development did not progress at a steady rate, but rather in leaps and bounds. Equilibrium is occurs when a child's schemas can deal with most new information through assimilation. However, an unpleasant state of disequilibrium occurs when new information cannot be fitted into existing schemas (assimilation).

Equilibration is the force which drives the learning process as we do not like to be frustrated and will seek to restore balance by mastering the new challenge (accommodation). Once the new information is acquired the process of assimilation with the new schema will continue until the next time we need to make an adjustment to it.

For example in assimilation process, the child mentioned above expands his understanding of what a dog looks like by observing it in a park. The dog still has ears, four legs, and a tail. However, the dog has fur and it barks. At this moment, disequilibrium occurs. This is because the dog has fur and barks do not appear in the initial schema. When disequilibrium forms, the initial schema will be added the new information and the child will construct the meaning again. The new schema is formed which is a dog has ears, four legs, a tail, fur and it barks. At this moment, we can say that the child returns the state of equilibrium. 

For example in accommodation process, the child sees a cat with the same traits with the dogs in a park. However, it is a different kind of animals. At this moment, the child reaches the state of disequilibrium again, which is the cat does not bark but it meows. Moreover, parent has to reinforce the child and tell him that this animal is called a cat. Therefore, the child will reconstruct a new schema about the cat which is a cat has ears, four legs, a tail, fur, and it meows. The child returns the state of equilibrium again.

Jean Piaget's Stages of Cognitive Development 

Source : Simplepsychology of Jean Piaget