I believe in teaching Constructivism and Piagetian Pedagogy. According to Jean Piaget, education is an exchange relation between a learner and the educators' value and knowing is always mediated by affectivity intrinsic to it. Affectivity (intrinsic motivation) can cause accelerations and retardations of students' cognitive development. Also knowing is spontaneous activity that benefits from Piagetian pedagogical assistance by teachers. The difference between "creating learning" and "creating a context for learning" is an important difference, invoked by Piaget and comparable to Vygotsky's position. Furthermore, Piaget said that "Are we forming children who are only capable of learning what is known already?" (Smith 2009)
I am interested in teaching constructivism and Piagetian Pedagogy. The principle of Piaget's epistemology and his "a critical method" are my passion in teaching. I believe that good understanding and good thinking should be an educational goal, and it can only be attained through improvement in the learner's reasoning and his/her continual construction and re-construction of knowledge. Piaget's pedagogy is sensitive to key aspects of this creative process.
My research interest is cognitive development of children between 0-8 years old. How does Piagetian Pedagogy enhance a child's cognition? Since I became an emeritus professor, I am continuing my research, writing, and consulting. I am a co-editor of International Journal of Early Childhood Education (Japan) and I am an editorial board member of the International Journal of Early Childhood Education, International (Korea).
Representative Professional Activities
Date |
Publications/Presentations |
2022 |
Symposium. ”Sustainable Developmental Goal & Early Childhood Education.” International Early Childhood Education. Virtual Conference |
2021 |
Keynote Speaker. ”Relationship between Jacques Rousseau and Jean Piaget.” Osaka, Japan |
2021 |
Symposium. ”Early Childhood Education with New Normal in the World (Covid-19).” International Early Childhood Education. Virtual Conference |
2020 |
Keynote Speaker. ”Child is not a Miniature Adult: Piaget Discovered a Child’s View of the World.” Osaka, Japan |
2019 |
Symposium. ”Multicultural Education Putting it into Practice.” International Early Childhood Education. Hilo, Hawaii |
2019 |
Keynote Speaker. ”Century’s Greatest Minds Einstein & Piaget Comparison.” Osaka, Japan |
2018 |
Symposium. “What is the best interest of children?” International Early Childhood Education Toyama, Japan |
2018 |
Keynote Speaker. ”Comparison of the Montessori Education and the Piagetian Education.” Osaka, Japan |
2018 |
Keynote Speaker. ”Difference Between Empathy and Sympathy: Critical Thinking.” Osaka, Japan |
2017 |
Keynote Speaker. ”Piaget & Epistemology-Conservation Development.” Osaka, Japan |
2017 |
Keynote Speaker. “Know How Children Lean.” Osaka, Japan |
2016 |
Keynote Speaker. ”Clinical Psychology.” Osaka, Japan |
2016 |
Keynote Speaker. “Concept Development through Play Activities.” Osaka, Japan |
2015 |
Lecturer. "The Role of Play in Learning." Los Angeles Pierce College. November 13, 2015 |
2015 |
Keynote Speaker. "Development of Classification Concept Among Preschoolers." Osaka, Japan |
2015 |
Saito N. 2015. "Piagetian theory and development of classification." JPS19th Periodical, July Issue |
2015 |
Keynote Speaker. "Piaget and Children Who Live in Technological Society." Osaka, Japan |
2015 |
Saito N. 2015 "Education of preschool children who use I-pad and I-phone." JPS19th Periodical, March Issue |
2014 |
Keynote Speaker "Piagetian Theory and Special Education" Osaka, Japan |
2014 |
Saito N. 2014. "Piaget theory in the first two years of development" JPS 18th Periodical, March Issue |
2014 |
Keynote Speaker "First Two Years of Development" Osaka, Japan |
2013 |
Saito N. 2013. "Cognition, emotion and moral development of children" JPS 17th Periodical, July Issue |
2013 |
Keynote Speaker "Exploration and Investigation: Little Child Learning" Osaka, Japan |
2013 |
Saito N. 2013. "How does a child become scientist?" JPS 17th Periodical, March Issue |
2013 |
Keynote Speaker "Moral Development and Empowerment" Osaka, Japan |
2012 |
Keynote Speaker "Beyond Multicultural Education: Creating a "whole child" who will keep world peace." Hangzhou, China |
2012 |
Keynote Speaker "Piagetian Pedagogy Teaching" Osaka, Japan |
2012 |
Keynote Speaker "Concept of the Whole Child and Parenting: Emotional development and intellectual development go hand in hand" Hangzhou, China |
2012 |
Keynote Speaker "What is knowledge: Time and Space" Osaka, Japan |
2012 |
Lecturer "Little Scientist" Utsunomiya University, Japan |
2012 |
Saito.N. 2012. "Piagetian theory and Practice" JPS 16th Periodical |
2011 |
Saito.N. 2011. "Developmental Psychology: Not to Put Children in the Pressure Cooker" International Journal of Early Childhood Education Volume 15 |
2011 |
Saito.N. 2011. "Piagetian theory and curriculum" JPS 15th Periodical |
2010 |
Lecturer: "What is learning?" Zhejiang University Hangzhou, China |
2010 |
Lecturer: "Understanding Diversity in Education: American Dream" Zhejiang University Hangzhou, China |
2010 |
Keynote speaker: "Concept of the Whole Child and Parenting: Emotional development and intellectual development go hand in hand" Hangzhou, China |
2010 |
Saito.N. 2010. "21st Century and Piagetian Theory" JPS 14th Periodical |
2010 |
Keynote Speaker: "Do not put a child in a pressure cooker: Emotional development and intellectual development go hand and hand". The 31st Annual Conference Of International Childhood Education Association. Harbin, China |
2010 |
Speaker in symposium: "American federal and state government involvement for early childhood education". The 31st Annual Conference Of International Childhood Education Association. Harbin, China |
2010 |
Speaker in symposium: "The American Dream". The 31st Annual Conference Of International Childhood Education Association. Harbin, China |
2010 |
Keynote Speaker: "Parent Education and Social Emotional Development". Osaka, Japan |
2010 |
Keynote Speaker: "Piaget & Curriculum: Healthy Early Childhood Education". Kyoto, Japan |
2010 |
Keynote Speaker: "Piaget and 21st Century". The 15th Jean Piaget Society. Osaka, Japan |
2009 |
Speaker in symposium: "Diversity, Equity, and Social Justice" The 30th Annual conference of International Childhood Education Association. Saitama, Japan |
2009 |
Keynote Speaker: "Piagetian Theory and Autism". The 14th Jean Piaget Society. Osaka. Japan |
2009 |
Keynote Speaker: "Piaget and Spatial Relationship". The 13th Jean Piaget Society. Kyoto, Japan |
2009 |
Saito.N. 2009. "Autism and Imitation in Piagetian Theory" JPS 13th Periodical |
2008 |
Saito.N. 2008. "What Is The Meaning of A Child's Ability?" International Journal of Early Childhood Education Volume 13.. |
2007 |
Saito,N. 2007. "Classroom Management and Morality for Early Childhood Education." International Journal of Early Childhood Education Volume 12. |
2006 |
Saito, N. 2006. "Classroom Management and Morality for Early Childhood Education." International Journal of Early Childhood Education Volume 11. |
2005 |
Saito, N. 2005. "History of Early Childhood Education In Europe and United States." International Journal of Early Childhood Education Volume 10. |
2008 |
Keynote Speaker: "Classification and Early Childhood Education." The 12th Jean Piaget Society. Kobe, Japan. |
2007 |
Keynote Speaker: "Why does Piagetian theory still live?" The 11th Jean Piaget Society. Osaka, Japan |
2007 |
Speaker. "What Is the meaning of a child's ability?" The 28th Conference of International Early childhood Education, Kanagawa, Japan. |
2006 |
Keynote Speaker. "Creativity and cognitive development in Early Childhood Education". The 8th Jean Piaget Society, Osaka, Japan. |
Please click here for addtional publications and presentations in pdf format.
EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND
Ph.D. Curriculum and Instruction Emphasis/Early Childhood Education Minor/ Educational Psychology 1982
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA
M.S. Teacher Education 1979
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA
B.A. Psychology 1977
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA