"A schema describes both the mental and physical actions involved in
understanding and knowing. Schemas are categories of knowledge
that help us to interpret and understand the world. In Piaget's
view, a schema includes both a category of knowledge and the process of
obtaining knowledge. As experiences happen, this new information
is used to modify, add to, or change previously existing schemas." (Van
Wagner, 2009)
For instance, if a child has only seen a palm tree then the child's schema is that every tree has palms and coconuts. When the child sees an olive tree they process the information and change their schema.
For instance, if a child has only seen a palm tree then the child's schema is that every tree has palms and coconuts. When the child sees an olive tree they process the information and change their schema.