본 연구는, 최근 인지발달 분야에서 새로운 인지발달 모델로서 커다란 주목을 받고 있는 이론이론 접근방법이 발달적 변화를 어떻게 기술·설명하고 있으며, 사회과 교육 영역에서 아동들의 인지발달에 대한 새로운 이해의 틀로서 자리매김 될 가능성은 없는지, 그리고 사회과 수업과 관련하여 당해 접근방법이 교사들에게 어떤 시사점을 주는지에 논의의 초점을 맞추고 있다. 이론이론 접근방법은 피아제의 단계 이론이 가지는 의문스러운 특성, 특히 발달의 영역일반성을 명시적으로 배제하면서, 동화와 조절등과 같은 지식의 능동적 구성 과정을 상정하는 등 그의 이론이 가지는 매력적 특성들을 잘 포착하고 있다고 평가할 수 있다. 구체적으로 이론이론 접근방법에서는 아동들이 naive theory를 스스로 형성한다고 보면서 인지발달 과정을 약한 재구성과 급진적 재구성 과정에 의한 naive theory의 변화 과정으로 모델화하고 있다. 특히, 이 접근방법에서는 연령이 증가함에 따라 보다 효과적으로 정보를 조직하고 문제를 효율적으로 해결하게 된다는 것을 인정하지만, 이러한 변화는 영역일반적인 논리적 사고 능력이나 정보처리 능력이 새로이 나타나거나 추가되었기 때문이 아니라, 새로운 지식의 획득에서 기인되는 현상이라고 보고 있다. 이 같은 방식으로 발달적 변화를 설명하고 있는 이론이론 접근방법은 모든 발달 양상을 완전하게 설명할 수 있는 완벽한 발달 모델이 아니라 하더라도 사회과 교육영역에서 아동들의 발달적 변화에 대한 이해의 틀로서 받아들일 만한 가치가 있다고 하겠으며, 특히 수업과 관련하여 당해 접근방법이 주는 시사점은 경청할 만한 가치가 있다고 하겠다.

Nowadays, criticizing Piaget's fundamental idea that there are universal cognitive structures that develop thorough stages, many researchers advocate the domain-specificity of cognitive development. The most popular way of explaining the developmental changes proposed within the domain-specific view is to use the metaphor of 'the child-as-intuitive-scientist'. The theory-theory approach which uses this metaphor assumes that children construct coherent and casual belief systems about the world(naive theories) spontaneously and regard cognitive development as changes in naive theories emphasizing the role of prior knowledge in cognitive development and learning. Especially, the theory-theorists who adopt this approach clearly acknowledge that older children organize information more systematically and solve problems more efficiently within a domain than younger children. But they attribute these developmental changes not to an increase in domain-general logical thinking capacity, or information processing capacity, but to the acquisition of domain-specific knowledge. Putting the findings of previous research together, the theory theory approach appears to account for more parts, but not all, of the development of children's social understanding than Piagetian view. In fact, Piagetian view suggests to many teachers that they can do little to accelerate cognitive growth beyond waiting for children to mature cognitively. However, this approach requires teachers to pay attention to naive theories children have and to accelerate cognitive growth by helping children revise these theories. In this respect, it is necessary to turn our attention from Piagetian view to the theory-theory approach.

Nowadays, criticizing Piaget's fundamental idea that there are universal cognitive structures that develop thorough stages, many researchers advocate the domain-specificity of cognitive development. The most popular way of explaining the developmental changes proposed within the domain-specific view is to use the metaphor of 'the child-as-intuitive-scientist'. The theory-theory approach which uses this metaphor assumes that children construct coherent and casual belief systems about the world(naive theories) spontaneously and regard cognitive development as changes in naive theories emphasizing the role of prior knowledge in cognitive development and learning. Especially, the theory-theorists who adopt this approach clearly acknowledge that older children organize information more systematically and solve problems more efficiently within a domain than younger children. But they attribute these developmental changes not to an increase in domain-general logical thinking capacity, or information processing capacity, but to the acquisition of domain-specific knowledge. Putting the findings of previous research together, the theory theory approach appears to account for more parts, but not all, of the development of children's social understanding than Piagetian view. In fact, Piagetian view suggests to many teachers that they can do little to accelerate cognitive growth beyond waiting for children to mature cognitively. However, this approach requires teachers to pay attention to naive theories children have and to accelerate cognitive growth by helping children revise these theories. In this respect, it is necessary to turn our attention from Piagetian view to the theory-theory approach.

cognitive development, domain-specificity, knowledge base, naive theory, Piaget, theory theory approach.