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Abstract
This research study was conducted with the aim to apply Formal Operational Stage (12-16 years) of Piaget's Cognitive development theory in learning mathematics. This study was survey type in nature. Sample of the study was comprised of two hundred students of age twelve to sixteen years. Mean, standard deviation and t-test were used as statistical tests for analysis of data. Results of the study revealed that students of age twelve to sixteen years can do classification, intersection, ratio & proportion, and geometry to some extent while the academic achievement of the students falling in Piaget's formal operational stage (12-16 years) cannot do factorization and transitivity. The academic achievement of the urban students was better as compared to the rural students regarding Classification, Intersection, Ratio & Proportion, and Transitivity, while the academic achievement of the rural students was better than the urban students regarding Factorization and Geometry. It revealed that socio-cultural differences have impact on formal operations stage students. It is recommended that encouraging environment should be provided and competition between rural and urban school students should be started in learning mathematics at elementary and secondary level schools.
Key Words: Piaget's Stage Theory, Cognitive Development, Formal Operational Stage, Mathematics, Urban, Rural.
Introduction
Jean Piaget a well-known psychologist belonged to Switzerland. He developed Cognitive Development theory in 1952 and was known as Piaget's Theory. He was concerned with children cognitive learning and proved that how they responded to their surroundings. Piaget's theory centered on a rule that cognitive development starts in a sequence of four separate, universal stages. These four stages work for all time in similar order and each stage constructs on the basis of the prior stage. Piaget stated that cognitive development was a reformation progress of mind as a result of genetic, biological maturation and surrounding practice. Children pass through four stages of cognitive development up to the adulthood (Wadsworth, 2003).
Cognitive development process is the formation and composition of thinking processes. It includes particularly identification, recall, solve difficulties, problems, hindrances, and make decisions about something from childhood to adulthood. Piaget's theory of cognitive development is concerned with information, knowledge and understanding, how a human being gains knowledge, builds knowledge as well as applies knowledge (Wadsworth, 2003). In view of Piaget...