Vygotsky,  Lev Semenovich (1896-1934) "Zone of Proximal Development" "Social Constructivism"

Lev Vygotsky, a Russian psychologist and philosopher in the 1930's, is most often associated with the social constructivist theory. He emphasizes the influences of cultural and social contexts in learning and supports a discovery model of learning. This type of model places the teacher in an active role while the students' mental abilities develop naturally through various paths of discovery.

Vygotsky's Three Principal Assumptions

1. Making Meaning

   • The community places a central role.

   • The people around the student greatly affect the way he or she sees the world.

2. Tools for Cognitive Development

   • The type and quality of these tools determine the pattern and rate of development.

   • The tools may include: important adults to the student, culture, language.

3. The Zone of Proximal Development

   • According to Vygotsky's theory, problem solving skills of tasks can be placed into three categories. These are as follows: (a) those performed independently by the student; (b) those that cannot be performed even with help; and (c) those that fall between the two extremes, the tasks that can be performed with help from others.

Vygotskian Principles in the Classroom

• Learning and development is a social and collaborative activity that cannot be "taught" to anyone. It is up to the student to construct his or her own understanding in his or her own mind. It is during this process that the teacher acts as a facilitator.

• The zone of proximal development can be used to design appropriate situations during which the student can be provided the appropriate support for optimal learning.

• When providing appropriate situations, one must take into consideration that learning should take place in meaningful contexts, preferably the context in which the knowledge is to be applied.

• Out of school experiences should be related to school experiences. Pictures, news clips, and personal stories incorporated into classroom activities provides the students with a since of oneness between their community and learning.

Links to Vygotsky

"Vygotsky's Distinction Between Lower and Higher Mental Functions and Recent Studies on Infant Cognitive Development", EUGENE SUBBOTSKY, Psychology Department, University of Lancaster, Lancaster LA1 4YF, UK

Vygotsky and Social Cognition

Photo Archive

www.marxists.org/archive/vygotsky/images/index.htm