A History Lesson (3)
Interest in children and child development increased dramatically during the first half of the 20th century. "Stage theorists" like Drs. Jean Piaget (1896-1980) and Erik Erikson (1902-1994) located childhood and adolescence within the larger context of the life cycle, seeking to explain cognitive and psychosocial development, respectively. Piaget concluded through observation and experimentation that children "construct" knowledge by making and testing assumptions about how the world works. Erikson devised a comprehensive model of social development consisting of key developmental tasks. The views advanced by Erikson and Piaget have had a significant impact upon educational practice.
Jean Piaget
Erik Erikson
We take it for granted that childhood and adolescence are qualitatively different stages of human growth than adulthood. Before Erikson, Piaget and their contempoaries advanced their theories, however, few made distinctions between the developmental processes of children and adults. Erikson showed how difficulties in the early stages of development may affect later social and emotional adjustment. Piaget's work led to a more comprehensive understanding of the development of intellect and moral judgment.
