Argument and Islamization of Piaget's stage theory of cognitive development

Cognitive theory is a learning theory of psychology that attempts to explain human behavior by understanding the thought processes. According to Piaget’s theory, he described four stages of cognitive development and relates them to a person's ability to understand and assimilate new information which are Sensorimotor (Birth-2 years), Pre-operational (2-7 years), Concrete operational (7-11 years) and Formal operational (11 years and up). Piaget focused on the maturational factors affecting understanding. The accommodation/ assimilation dialectic is the part most useful for understanding grown learners. 

On the other hand, there are some arguments that conflict to Piaget’s theory. Vygotsky believed that learning is shaped by social impact and that our culture helps shape our cognition. In other words, cultural and social influences are key elements to developing intelligence because children learn through their social interactions and their individual culture. Basically, what Vygotsky is trying to explain here is that social interaction plays an important role in the surroundings of children and that it is valued by the children, i.e. one's development is the result of one's culture. Vygotsky also believes that learning happens before development can occur while Piaget believed that development had to occur before learning could take place. He also suggests that children learn specifically because of the history and symbolism represented in their cultures. 

Turning to Islamic viewpoint, we cannot believe the Piaget’s theory all around. Though most of people’s development would be like the 4 stages of Piaget, there are some exceptions such as in case of Prophet Jesus. The prophet could speak and interact with people since he was in a cradle. From the case, it can be clearly argued that not all the children can speak after year of 2 as staged in Sensorimotor Stage.  Another case is reciting and conserving Quran of children. Normally, our children are encouraged to recite some simple Surah such as Al-Fatihah since 4 0r 5 years. Thus, it means children are able to memorize and conserve in this age. Moreover, some scholar such as Imam Syfiee and Imam Ghazali started memorizing Quran since the age under 10 years. These examples approve that piaget’s theory cannot be completely used.

To conclude, even theory of Piaget has been popular, there are some arguments in some states in both viewpoint of secular and spiritual aspect. Consequently, we should not believe at all without consideration to the principles of truth and comparing with the things that actually happened before.

Holistic Education in Malaysia

1.    State down the purpose of the article writing.

-          To discuss about the concept of holistic education in Malaysia which its principle based on Malaysia’s very own National Philosophy of Education or NPE. The main aim of NPE is to focus on the improvement of well-balanced and incorporated individuals who hold the association belief in and devotion of God.

-          To compare the five aspects of integration in the holistic education of ISSC in terms of 1) knowledge, skills, and values and language in learning, 2) learning experience in the school subject, 3) theory and practice in the subject taught, 4) learning experience inside and outside of classroom, 5) teaching and learning strategies.  Moreover, to go deeply into details and clearly represent how they relate and implement coherently to one another.

2.      What are the significance of the article in terms of theory, educational practice or economy?

-          Theories play an important role in education, they become a significant tool for teachers to track the ways of teaching. But the teachers should be reminded that the chosen theories must be an up-to-date all the time.

“New theories are first of all necessary when we encounter new facts which cannot be explained by existing theories.” Albert Einstein (1950)

Once new theories is accepted and revealed, the old one will be immediately overturned. According to the article, thought it is much crucial to the learning, it cannot stand alone. It will be meaningless if it does not go along with educational practice.

-          Educational practice is a next process after students are transferred theories. To improve the given knowledge and to make sure the knowledge is useful for the learners, teachers should provide an appropriate practice which related to the theories or lesson to the students. it is a way to make the student really understand the theories and become skillful persons.

-          To make the learning most effective, teachers must be able to avoid an inert and monotonous process while teaching and giving subject taught.  Furthermore, teaching of various disciplines at the theoretical level will be much benefit if it is integrated with experiences or practices of learner. As claimed by Whitehead (1929) as below:

“A merely well-informed man is the most useless bore on God’s earth.. Therefore in training a child to activity of though, above all things we must be aware of what I will call “inert ideas:- this is to say, ideas that are merely received into the mid without being utilized, or tested or thrown into fresh combinations”

Hence, it is clearly seen that theories and educational practice impact to each other. It called an active involvement of learning activity which merges inside and outside classroom activity together.

3.      What are the main findings that can be derived from this article?

-          There are five aspects of integration of ISSC’s holistic education which influence to one another. These five aspects should not be developed continuously to be set evidently in the real framework of classroom teaching only but also to bring a clear understanding about God, universe, knowledge, values, skills and human existence and their connectedness. With Islam as the main religion in Malaysia thus, the principles of NPE is clearly God-centered and being holistic surrounds the significance integration of inter and intra disciplines inculcation and transmission of 16 core values across the programme via language to translate the principles of NPE into the real classroom practice.

-          Holistic education in Malaysia does not need only a functional knowledge to be mastered in education which develops an individual student through the mastery of knowledge, acquisition of skills and the proper usage of language in teaching and learning but also needs him or her to believe in God. In other word, in the Malaysian context holism not only constitutes the intellectual, spiritual, emotional and physical elements of an individual but also need to extend beyond the social, environmental, and contextual dimensions to a highest metaphysical position with God as the highest source of truth.

-          The NPE had been perfectly formulated hence, it does not need to be changed the development of the educational practice. The ideal of the NPE should be shown and translated into the real practices to reach the desired aims in the country’s education.

-          Nonetheless, there are some problems that teachers had to face in implementing the holistic education concept. For instance, the teachers’ primary concern was to complete the curriculum before year end and they realized that the transmission of core value across the curriculum was not appraised in the examinations so, this was not the priority. Therefore, to make the ideal of the NPE becomes true teachers, parents and all who related should cooperate in policy makers of education in the country.

4.      Provide your comments and reviews on how to improve the article if you were selected to be the reviewer for this article.

-          In the first issue, there are only theories from the western side. Indeed, theories from Islamic  philosophy also much important and should be represented along the western content also. Islamic philosophy  is a branch of Islamic studies talking about Hekma (Wisdom) in the light of Islamic view of life, universe, ethics, society, etc. It is also a longstanding tradition in the compatibility between aql (reason) and iman (faith).  A well-known Islamic theologian and philosopher is Ghazali who consider a pioneer of methodic doubt and skepticism, and one of his major works is The Incoherence of the Philosophers.

-          From the article, author does not provide information about the holistic education in primary school level which based on belief and devotion to God as its central tenet.  In fact, primary school level is the most significant target because Islam and the faith should be embed since the first step of learning to be a foundation of life.

-          The relationship between any aspects should be explained clearer and more specific how they relate to one another.

-          Besides the thesis statement, there is another essential element in writing that is giving a clear example to support the ideas and to make the point easy to understand.  Thus, I suggest the author to add some instance in each aspect to make readers understand more deeply and easily.

-          The article should be made up both side of the real which are positive and negative side or some call argument.  However, this paper shows the benefit of holistic education only.