Basic concepts of Jean Piaget's Genetic Epistemology

the student as a center for teaching

Abstract

Among the multiple theories that address issues related to human development and learning from an interactionist perspective, and that are part of the scope of studies and research in Educational Psychology, Jean Piaget's Genetic Epistemology (GE) still presents itself as a viable possibility that can provide teachers with a basis for their pedagogical practice. The objective of this theoretical essay is to present basic themes and concepts of GE, with the student as the focus of teaching, aiming to contribute to teacher training by offering a brief reading to be adopted in undergraduate courses as a way of encouraging the reading of the epistemologist's original writings. All of the profound themes, concepts and studies demonstrated by GE can be important for teacher training and practice, for the organization of pedagogical work in schools and for understanding the subjects; In this essay we will highlight some theoretical categories, based on an analytical reflection, and their pedagogical implications, involving students (subjects), the teacher-student relationship and the possibilities of intentional, planned and directed educational intervention, focusing on the integral understanding of the subject, on the role of cognitive conflict, on the place of error in the construction of knowledge and on the development of moral autonomy.