Comparative Study of Conventional and Montessori Learning Methods on the Cognitive Development of Preschool Children
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.64850/jecep.v2i1.173Keywords:
Cognitive Development, Montessori Method, Conventional Method, Early Childhood Education, Executive FunctionAbstract
This study aims to compare the effectiveness of conventional and Montessori learning methods on the cognitive development of preschool-aged children in Indonesia. This study used a mixed-methods design with a concurrent embedded approach, where the quantitative component in the form of a quasi-experiment with a pretest–posttest control group design was the main focus, while qualitative data were used to enrich the interpretation of the results. The study sample consisted of 160 children aged 4–6 years from eight early childhood education institutions in the Special Region of Yogyakarta, who were divided into Montessori and conventional groups. Cognitive development was measured through executive function, problem-solving, and early literacy and numeracy skills using a standardized instrument adapted for the Indonesian context. Data analysis was conducted using ANCOVA with pretest scores as a covariate. The results showed that children who participated in the Montessori method had significantly higher cognitive development scores compared to those who participated in the conventional method, especially in aspects of executive function such as working memory, inhibitory control, and cognitive flexibility. These findings indicate that the Montessori method is more effective in supporting the cognitive development of preschool-aged children and has the potential to have a long-term impact on children's learning readiness.
Downloads
References
Bascopé, M., Perasso, P., & Reiss, K. (2019). Systematic Review of Education for Sustainable Development at an Early Stage: Cornerstones and Pedagogical Approaches for Teacher Professional Development. Sustainability, 11(3), 719. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11030719
Brown, T. T., & Jernigan, T. L. (2012). Brain Development During the Preschool Years. Neuropsychology Review, 22(4), 313–333. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11065-012-9214-1
Burger, K. (2010). How does early childhood care and education affect cognitive development? An international review of the effects of early interventions for children from different social backgrounds. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 25(2), 140–165. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecresq.2009.11.001
Cartiff, B. M., Duke, R. F., & Greene, J. A. (2021). The effect of epistemic cognition interventions on academic achievement: A meta-analysis. Journal of Educational Psychology, 113(3), 477.
Denervaud, S., Knebel, J.-F., Hagmann, P., & Gentaz, E. (2019). Beyond executive functions, creativity skills benefit academic outcomes: Insights from Montessori education. PLOS ONE, 14(11), e0225319. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0225319
Dörrenbächer-Ulrich, L., Dilhuit, S., & Perels, F. (2024). Investigating the relationship between self-regulated learning, metacognition, and executive functions by focusing on academic transition phases: a systematic review. Current Psychology, 43(18), 16045–16072. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-023-05551-8
Emslander, V., & Scherer, R. (2022). The relation between executive functions and math intelligence in preschool children: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 148(5–6), 337.
Fetters, M. D., Curry, L. A., & Creswell, J. W. (2013). Achieving Integration in Mixed Methods Designs—Principles and Practices. Health Services Research, 48(6pt2), 2134–2156. https://doi.org/10.1111/1475-6773.12117
Gharalari, N. A., Fallahi, S., Nakhjiri, E., Hosseini, L., Pakkhou, S., Havaei, N., Khodakarimi, S., Shahabi, P., Gharehziaaddin, M. J., & Zangbar, H. S. (2025). How to Improve Cognitive Flexibility: Evidence From Noninvasive Neuromodulation Techniques. CNS Neuroscience & Therapeutics, 31(9). https://doi.org/10.1111/cns.70613
Gupta, N., Ali, K., Jiang, D., Fink, T., & Du, X. (2024). Beyond autonomy: unpacking self-regulated and self-directed learning through the lens of learner agency-a scoping review. BMC Medical Education, 24(1), 1519.
Haider, Z. F., & von Stumm, S. (2022). Predicting educational and social–emotional outcomes in emerging adulthood from intelligence, personality, and socioeconomic status. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 123(6), 1386.
Harlow, M., & Fraser-Thomas, J. (2024). “There’s No One-Size-Fits-All Approach”: Challenges and Strategies Coaching Preschooler Sport in Canada. International Sport Coaching Journal, 1(aop), 1–11.
Hayashi, A., Liew, J., Aguilar, S. D., Nyanamba, J. M., & Zhao, Y. (2022). Embodied and social-emotional learning (SEL) in early childhood: Situating culturally relevant SEL in Asian, African, and North American contexts. Early Education and Development, 33(5), 746–763.
Hien, T. T. T. (2024). Efficient Management in the Montessori Educational Environment for Preschool Children. International Research Journal of Management, IT and Social Sciences, 11(1), 49–57.
Hilty, R., Boddicker-Young, P., Hegseth, D., Thompson, J., Bultinck, E., Fojut, J., & Early, D. (2021). Understanding Equitable Access to Public Montessori Pre-K: A Case Study of Montessori Recruitment and Enrollment Practices. Child Trends for the Brady Education Foundation.
Isaacs, B. (2018). Understanding the Montessori Approach. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315536880
Jirout, J., LoCasale-Crouch, J., Turnbull, K., Gu, Y., Cubides, M., Garzione, S., Evans, T. M., Weltman, A. L., & Kranz, S. (2019). How Lifestyle Factors Affect Cognitive and Executive Function and the Ability to Learn in Children. Nutrients, 11(8), 1953. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11081953
Laski, E. V, & Wang, M. J. (2023). A critical consideration of montessori education in its relation to cognitive science and concrete-to-abstract thinking. The Bloomsbury Handbook of Montessori Education, 241–249.
Layachi, A., & Pitchford, N. J. (2025). Formative evaluation of an interactive personalised learning technology to inform equitable access and inclusive education for children with special educational needs and disabilities. Technology, Knowledge and Learning, 30(3), 1395–1419.
Lillard, A. S. (2021). Montessori as an alternative early childhood education. In The Influence of Theorists and Pioneers on Early Childhood Education (pp. 211–221). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003120216-19
Lovett, M. C., Bridges, M. W., DiPietro, M., Ambrose, S. A., & Norman, M. K. (2023). How learning works: Eight research-based principles for smart teaching. John Wiley & Sons.
Meadows, S., & Meadows, S. (2012). The Child as Thinker. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203965207
Meisels, S. J., Xue, Y., & Shamblott, M. (2008). Assessing Language, Literacy, and Mathematics Skills With Work Sampling for Head Start. Early Education & Development, 19(6), 963–981. https://doi.org/10.1080/10409280801971890
Metz, K. E. (1997). On the Complex Relation Between Cognitive Developmental Research and Children’s Science Curricula. Review of Educational Research, 67(1), 151–163. https://doi.org/10.3102/00346543067001151
Mutmainna, N., Rizqi, V., Halim, C., & Astuti, P. (2024). A comparative study of montessori and traditional education approaches: cognitive development and academic achievement. International Education Trend Issues, 2(2), 205–298.
Niklas, F., Cohrssen, C., Lehrl, S., & Napoli, A. R. (2021). Children’s competencies development in the home learning environment. In Frontiers in psychology (Vol. 12, p. 706360). Frontiers Media SA.
Palamar, B., & Mykhailichenko, M. O. (2024). Implementation of socio-emotional learning in the modern university: going beyond an academic education. Клінічна Та Профілактична Медицина, 7 (37), 95–102.
Sablić, M., Mirosavljević, A., & Bogatić, K. (2025). Multigrade education and the montessori model: A pathway towards inclusion and equity. International Journal of Educational Research, 131, 102600.
Schiariti, V., Simeonsson, R. J., & Hall, K. (2021). Promoting Developmental Potential in Early Childhood: A Global Framework for Health and Education. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(4), 2007. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18042007
Siregar, T. (2025). Effectiveness of the Problem-Based Learning Model in Improving Students’ Mathematical Communication Skills and Learning Motivation.
Smolucha, L., & Smolucha, F. (1986). A fifth Piagetian stage. Poetics, 15(4–6), 475–491. https://doi.org/10.1016/0304-422X(86)90007-0
Syafii, H., Alaldaya, R., Purnomo, H., & Azhari, H. (2025). Psycho-philosophical structure of the concept of tazkiyatun nafs on the development of spiritual-emotional intelligence in students. Jurnal Studi Edukasi Integratif, 2(1), 62–71.
Syafii, M. H., & Azhari, H. (2024). Manifestation of Patience as a Coping Mechanism in Islamic Psychology: A Comparative Analysis of Sociocultural Contexts of Indonesian and Egyptian Students. Psikoislamika: Jurnal Psikologi Dan Psikologi Islam, 21(2), 252–290.
Syafii, M. H., Purnomo, H., & Rahmatullah, A. S. (2025). Inclusive Education and Social Transformation: Analysing the Role of Education Policy in Increasing Equality Among Rural Students in Indonesia. Educational Research for Social Change, 14(1), 43–69.
Taherkhani, B., Aliasin, S. H., Khosravi, R., & Izadpanah, S. (2022). The interface between metacognitive strategy training and locus of control in developing EFL learners’ listening comprehension skill. Frontiers in Education, 7, 847564.
Tzuo, P. W. (2007). The Tension between Teacher Control and Children’s Freedom in a Child-centered Classroom: Resolving the Practical Dilemma through a Closer Look at the Related Theories. Early Childhood Education Journal, 35(1), 33–39. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-007-0166-7
Ungureanu, E. (2024). Constructing Ability in the Classroom: A Descriptive Analysis of Pedagogical Practices in Primary Education. Revista de Științe Ale Educației, 49(1), 192–204.
Wouters, P., Paas, F., & van Merriënboer, J. J. G. (2008). How to Optimize Learning From Animated Models: A Review of Guidelines Based on Cognitive Load. Review of Educational Research, 78(3), 645–675. https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654308320320
Zhan, Z., He, W., Yi, X., & Ma, S. (2022). Effect of Unplugged Programming Teaching Aids on Children’s Computational Thinking and Classroom Interaction: with Respect to Piaget’s Four Stages Theory. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 60(5), 1277–1300. https://doi.org/10.1177/07356331211057143
Zuckerman, G. (2007). Child-Adult Interaction That Creates a Zone of Proximal Development. Journal of Russian & East European Psychology, 45(3), 43–69. https://doi.org/10.2753/RPO1061-0405450302
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Hisyam Syafii, Husain Azhari , Rudyn Alaldaya (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
