Concept:Jean Piaget’s theory of cognitive development states that children are not passive learners; they actively construct their own understanding of the world through interaction with their environment.
Explanation:Piaget conducted systematic studies on children’s thinking across ages and identified distinct developmental stages.
He argued that cognitive growth is not just adding facts, but a radical change in thought processes from birth to maturity.
Children continuously explore, test, and observe their surroundings, and this activity builds their knowledge.
Piaget highlighted four factors that influence development: biological maturation, active exploration (activity), social experiences, and equilibration (the drive for mental balance).
Learning should be based on children’s interests and needs, not rewards or punishments.
In contrast, other theorists proposed different mechanisms: Thorndike focused on trial and error, Skinner on reinforcement, and Pavlov on classical conditioning.
Thus, the statement “children actively construct their understanding of the world” is a key idea from Piaget.
Answer:C. Jean Piaget