Assignment:
Piagetian Task Assignment
Assignment Description
This activity is an opportunity for you to try a Piagetian task described in the course with real children. You can work with children/adolescents of any age as long as the task you administer is age-appropriate based on Piaget's stages. In this write-up you will explain the theoretical background of the task, describe the child or children who participated (age, gender, special characteristics), the task you selected and how you conducted the task. Finally you will describe any differences you found while administering tasks. You can choose to do this assignment in one of the two ways described below.
Option 1: Task Modification (One child needed - Administer task 2x)
Some researchers suggest that Piaget underestimated children's abilities because his tasks relied, to a large extent,on verbal abilities. In this option you should select and review a Piagetian task discussed in class or described in the textbook. Make note of the procedures, materials, and wording of all questioning Piaget used. Create a procedural modification to the original task that you believe may affectthe child's capability of demonstrating that ability. You will administer the task twice, the first time using the original procedures as described in the course, then you will administer the task again using your modification to the same child.In your paper, you will describe your procedural modifications and the rational for the modifications, then discuss the differences you observed when administering the tasks.
Option 2: Child Comparison (Two children required - Administer task once to each child)
Select and review a Piagetian task discussed in class or described in the textbook. Administer the task (using the original procedures) to a child whose age is near the appropriate age range for the task (stage). Then separately, administer the same task to a different child (best if there is an age difference but can be same age). In your paper, you will discuss the differences you observed between children during the tasks.
Paper Format and Writing Guidelines
The instructions on the next page are written in the exact APA format you will be submitting your paper in (minus the double spacing). Your paper will be in the fashion of an empirical research article because it will be a mini study. You will use this format in all 3 papers in this course.
Some helpful hints to a good paper
• Read and takes notes before you write. When writing, do not have the readings next to you, just write using your notes. You still have to cite where the information comes from but you avoid plagiarizing and more importantly, you get a sense that you actually understand the theory rather than copy what other authors wrote.
• CITE Readings (DO NOT CITE LECTURE)Don't know how to cite? Check here: https://blog.apastyle.org/apastyle/2011/01/writing-in-text-citations-in-apa-style.html
• Spend at least 5 minutes outlining each section of your paper to be sure you organize your thoughts. NO LONG PARAGRAPHS.
• Be sure there are transitions that connect the ideas in your paragraphs (helps your paper flow).
• Write as if you are writing to someone who does not know Piaget and his theory, define everything.
• Don't go overboard, be selective in what information you include. Select the concepts and details that fit in with what you did. This will help your paper flow and be concise.
• READ your paper before submitting. Edit & Revise.
• Double check that your paper was successfully submitted to Canvas. Click on the preview icon after uploading to be sure it was the right file, and the paper is complete.
On the next page you will see the format of the paper and what you should be writing. You need to include all headings appropriately as seen below.