Theories of Cognitive Development and Human Motivation
Cognitive development refers to the changes over time in children’s thinking, reasoning, use of language, problem solving and learning (Cognitive). Piaget, in his Theory of Cognitive Development, asserted that humans go through a fixed set of four developmental stages as they mature and obtain an increasing set of relevant experiences (Essortment). He established age ranges for each of the stages.
Maslov, in his Theory of Human Motivation, asserted that humans are motivated by a set of basic needs. His premise was that these basic goals are related to each other, being arranged in a hierarchy of priority. This means that the highest priority goal will monopolize consciousness and will tend to be the primary focus of the individual. Lower priority needs are minimized, even forgotten or denied. But when a need is fairly well satisfied, the next higher priority need emerges, in turn, to dominate the conscious life and to serve as the center of organization of behavior, since gratified needs are not active motivators (Maslov).
While later researchers and educators have differed on the specifics of each of these theories, there seems to be consensus that humans do indeed develop in cognitive stages and are motivated by an escalating set of basic needs. It is important for teachers to understand that children not only develop certain skills and abilities as they grow older, but that they may not develop these at the same time as other students.
A teacher must understand the cognitive capabilities of the age group he/she teaches and plan instruction accordingly. Teachers beyond the elementary level will generally be educating students ready to advance into the final stage in Piaget’s theory, formal operations. This stage begins in most people at age twelve and continues into adulthood. This stage produces a new kind of thinking that is abstract, formal, and logical. Thinking is no longer tied solely to events that can be observed. A child at this stage can think hypothetically and use logic to solve problems. It is important to note that it is thought that not all individuals reach this level of thinking (Essortment). It is estimated that only 35% of high school graduates in industrialized countries reach this stage (Huitt) and most studies show only forty to sixty percent of American college students and adults fully achieve it (Essortment). What is not clear is whether the remainder cannot advance to the final stage, were not taught to develop this final stage, or may have reached the stage and simply do not use the abilities to their full extent. I believe this presents an opportunity for teachers to implement challenging strategies that develop and build logical, abstract thinking and problem-solving skills.
A teacher must also understand that in any particular class of students, there may be a number of different motivators affecting the learning abilities of those students. Some may be from economically disadvantaged homes where basic necessities, such as food, clothing and heat, are not taken for granted and cause a great deal of stress on the student. Children may also have to work after school to help support the household. Other children may be impacted by the divorce of their parents, disrupting their sense of belonging to a family and feeling loved. According to Maslov, children in these steps on the hierarchy may not be capable of focusing their full energies on the learning process. And, of course, the class will have others that have a healthy environment outside of school and come to class each day with a strong desire to learn and be challenged. It is imperative for a teacher to get to know a bit about the personal lives of his/her students in order to be able to assess each student’s motivations. This will enable the teacher to adapt his/her lesson planning and instructional strategies around the needs of all of the students in a particular class. Establishing an environment where kids feel safe and cared about, as well as one where they learn life lessons - such as goal-setting, self-esteem building and the power of choice - should be part of every class and can help mitigate some of the external forces at work (Johnson).
In summary, it is important for teachers to understand that all children develop differently and come from different environments. Teachers need to be able to recognize and accommodate these differences in order to maximize the learning experience of each student.
References
Cognitive Development - Overview Of Cognitive Development; http://social.jrank.org/pages/140/Cognitive-Development-Overview-Cognitive-Development.html#ixzz0e7zw9pQz
Essortment; http://www.essortment.com/all/jeanpiagettheo_rnrn.htm
Maslov, A.H., 1943; A Theory of Human Motivation; http://psychclassics.yorku.ca/Maslow/motivation.htm
Huitt, W., & Hummel, J. (2003); Piaget's theory of cognitive development; Educational Psychology Interactive; http://www.edpsycinteractive.org/topics/cogsys/piaget.html
Johnson, LouAnne, 2005; Teaching Outside the Box