stage theory

Categories: Site glossary

a type of developmental theory that recognises somewhat discrete stages in development such that children can be assigned to different stages

"Jean Piaget…posited a complex stage theory [of cognitive development] that had four main stages characterised by increasingly sophisticated levels of thinking" (Taber, 2020)

Author: Keith

Former school and college science teacher, teacher educator, research supervisor, and research methods lecturer. Emeritus Professor of Science Education at the University of Cambridge.