AN INVESTIGATION INTO NUMBER CONSERVATION ABILITY AMONG PRIMARY SCHOOL CHILDREN OF PAKISTAN ACCORDING TO PIAGET’S THEORY OF COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

The study was aimed at observing the number conservation ability of primary school children to test the Piaget’s theory of cognitive development. The major objectives of the study were: (i) To measure number conservation ability among primary school children; (ii) To compare urban and rural primary school children on number conservation ability; (iii) To compare government and private primary school children on number conservation ability; (iv) To compare boys and girls on number conservation ability; (v) To investigate the relevance of curriculum with the cognitive development of children. Four hundred & eighty students of primary schools were taken as a sample of the study. An empirical research design was used for the conduction of study. For data collection observation sheets were developed. To measure the performance of the students, statistical techniques such as chi-square, t-test and ANOVA were applied to analyze the collected data. Primary school children (age 3 to 5) were not number conservers at any case. Hence the National Curriculum ECE 2002 (3 to 5 years) was not found to be suitable. Majority of the primary school children of age group 6 to 8 were found number conservers, so the National Curriculum 2006 was found to be relevant with cognitive development of primary school children. Urban and rural primary school children performed same. Private primary school children were found to be better than government primary school children. Boys and girls performed same on Piaget’s number conservation task. xviii It was concluded that the National Curriculum ECE 2002 (3 to 5years) should be reviewed and revised according to the cognitive level of primary school children. School going age should be started from the age group of 6. Keywords: Piaget, cognitive development, conservation of number, primary level