According to Piaget, what is a schema?

In the context of Piaget's theory of cognitive development, a schema refers to an individual's mental framework or representation of the world. It encompasses a person's understanding and expectations about how things relate to each other based on their experiences. This allows individuals to organize knowledge and interpret new information effectively. Schemas facilitate learning by providing a structured way for people to assimilate new experiences or accommodate unfamiliar concepts into their existing understanding.

Piaget proposed that as children grow and develop, their schemas become more complex and nuanced. They continuously adapt their schemas through processes of assimilation (integrating new information into existing schemas) and accommodation (modifying existing schemas to incorporate new information). This adaptive capability is pivotal for cognitive growth and understanding of the environment. Understanding schemas is vital for educators and counselors, as it helps them tailor their approaches to align with students’ cognitive processes.