Discussion Question

This Unit's Discussion Prompt

1. Please view all three of the following videos, view it, and respond to the questions below them based on cognitive development and educational curriculum recommendations:

1. 4.5 year-old (pre-operational):https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnArvcWaH6I (Links to an external site.)

2. 6 year-old (transitional):https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPuXuCIWZDQ (Links to an external site.)

3. 8 year-old (fully concrete operational):https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDBSTqzNdf4 (Links to an external site.)

2. Answer the following questions concerning the above videos paying close attention to the child's explanations for his/her answers.

1. How could a child understand arithmetic or basic science if they believe that the quantity - the amount of a thing - changes, depending on its current shape, or position, or arrangement?

2. Should we attempt to teach conservation of quantities to younger children, to accelerate their cognitive development, or should we wait until it develops naturally and let them discover it for themselves? Why, or why not?DI