The genetic approach of Jean Piaget to cognitive development is one of the best-structured and most powerful theories in modern psychology. The main concern of the Swiss psychologist and his colleagues in Geneva was to define the processes underlying the qualitative changes in thinking that occur during the child's development.

Piaget emphasized that the science of educational practice cannot be produced from basic research on the nature and development of the child; he argued that we need to understand how children construct knowledge because, without a relevant explanatory theory, it is impossible to determine specific immediate goals aimed at achieving broader long-term objectives.

This book presents preschool education programs based on the scientific and genetic-evolutionary theory of Jean Piaget, which provides a foundation for adopting teaching initiatives that are based on active learning principles, the sources of various forms of knowledge, and the evolution of human thought.

As representative of an important category, the standard programs of Kamii & De Vries and Copple, Sigel & Saunders are presented, which were used in experimental studies and are applied—with variations and adaptations—in many kindergartens across the United States.

The applied pedagogical practice in the programs included in the study is the result of the continuous interaction and interdependence of psychological theory and experimental pedagogy. This particular approach transfers theoretical knowledge into experimental practice and defines the framework of theoretical planning.

[Excerpt from the text on the back cover of the edition]