Perception on Learning Theory of Perception
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into four stages. The four stages are sensorimotor stage, pre-operational stage, concrete operational stage, and formal operational stage. Below are the
explanations of each stage. a.
Sensorimotor Stage
Infancy until the age of 2 is included in this stage. During this stage, a child learns about himself and his environment through motor actions. His thought
derives from sensation and movement. Teaching for a child in this stage should be carried on to the sensorimotor system.
b.
Pre-operational Stage
Toddler and Early Childhood at about age 7 are included in this stage. In this period, the child begins to use symbols to represent objects. The child learns
to think about things and events that are not immediately present. His thinking is influenced by fantasy such as what he would like things to be. He creates his own
imagination. c.
Concrete Operational Stage
A child about first grade to early adolescence is included in this stage. In this period, the child develops an ability to think abstractly and to make rational
judgments about concrete or observable phenomena. In teaching this child, giving him an opportunity to ask questions and to explain things back to the teacher
allows him to mentally manipulate the information.
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d.
Formal Operational Stage
Adolescence is included in this stage. This person no longer requires concrete objects to make rational judgments. His intelligence is showed through
the logical use of symbols related to abstract concepts. According to Piaget’s stages of cognitive development above, the age of
Senior High School is included in formal operational stage 12 years old – adult. The formal operational period is the fourth and final of the periods of cognitive
development in this theory. This stage, which follows the Concrete Operational, commences at around 12 years of age puberty and continues into adulthood. It is
characterized by acquisition of the ability to think abstractly, reason logically and draw conclusions from the information available. During this stage, the young
adult is able to understand such things as love, “shades of gray”, logical proofs, and values.
It is also said that the age of sixteen, in which more or less at the same age as second grade Senior High School students, students’ ability to think and
understand something meaningfully is developed. However, students at this age prefer paying attention to the things that interest them. Therefore, teaching and
learning activity must be carefully designed in order to attract students’ attention. Another researcher, Barry 2003 says that an important ability of people
who reach this stage is that they are able to think abstractly about such issues as truth, morality, justice, and the nature of existence and to provide alternative,
competing beliefs about these. Thus, cognitive development becomes a pre- requisite for the acquisition of morality based upon abstract principles.
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When a student reaches the formal operational stage, the range of assessments is almost endless. These young people can now employ the use of
analogies and hypotheses in problem solving. They can incorporate value judgments and problems of social and cultural scope as part of their processing.
Piaget also knows the needs of Senior High school students in the education field. He said that Senior High school students like to learn something
using visual aids, illustration, simple graphs and diagrams. They like to be taught using step by step explanation. It is better for teachers to give the students
opportunity to explore many questions through discussion of social issues because they like to share their ideas. Teachers can ask them to work in pairs or groups
and give them a problem which has to be solved. Students in the formal operations stage also like to learn something through music.
From the explanation above, it can be concluded that Senior High students are interested in visual aids and illustrations. They also like to learn something
through music. Since their abilities to think and understand something are developed, Piaget advices the teachers to use well-organized materials that offer
step by step explanations. The use of social issue and problems can develop their critical thinking ability and problem solving skill. This theory helps the researcher
to analyze the students’ needs in their age which can be used as factors to build the students’ perception on the use of videos.