Lev Semyonovich Vygotsky

1. Lev Semyonovich Vygotsky Social Cognitive Views of Learning and the Zone of Proximal Development Christine Mingus Classroom Management University of Richmond Summer 2011

2. Biographical Information • L. S. Vygotsky(b.1896 – d.1934) was a Soviet psychologist whose work in the fields of child development and education continue to shape social cognitive views of learning • Most of his major work was developed in one prolific decade (1924 – 34), in which he wrote some 200 works • His most important publication was Thought and Language (published in English in1962)

3. Vygotsky and Piaget: Compare/Contrast • Similarities: • Both men were born in the same year (1896) • While neither received any training in formal psychology, both men would exert great influence on developmental psychology and educational theory • Differences: • Piaget: placed emphasis on structural aspects and the biological origin of development • Vygotsky: ‘stressed the contribution of culture, social interaction, and the historical dimension of mental development ‘ (Ivic, p. 1)

4. The sociability of the child • Social interaction plays a formative role (a constructive function) in the child’s development and education • Vygotsky wrote in 1932 that: “It is through the mediation of others, through the mediation of the adult, that the child undertakes activities. Absolutely everything in the behavior of the child is merged and rooted in social relations. Thus, the child’s relations with reality are from the start social relations…” (Ivic, p. 3)

5. Vygotsky’s Educational Theories Social Cognitive Theory: people are active (and not passive) participants in their education. • Education should be student-centered • “Education contains nothing that is external to development” (Ivic, p. 8) • Comprehension is a social constructivist process. It provides the tools a child needs to develop internal processes and intellectual operations • View of the child as a social being • The social context of learning: students should be taught within their zone of proximal development (ZPD) (the level at which students can learn with the support of a more knowledgeable other -MKO) • Learning results from both direct experience and social interaction: “we learn from and with others”: a cooperative and interactive learning environment is essential in fostering students’ full engagement in the classroom

6. Criticisms • Some argue that his theories are insufficiently developed and operational – for example, “his theoretical arguments are not illustrated or supplemented by appropriate methodology.” (Ivic, p. 9) • While he emphasized the constructive contributions made by society and culture, he “never really managed to work out a critical analysis, in the modern sense, of those institutions.” (Ivic, p. 9) • Those very institutions, if disturbed, may be seriously damaging to individuals overall • He does not pay enough attention to specific teaching methods • Vygotsky rejected the importance of other ways of learning (though non-verbal imitation and self-discovery) (Gunning, p. 6)

7. Learning Potential Vygotsky distinguished between students’ actual and potential development • Actual: what the child has learned up to the point of instruction (the level at which he or she is already functioning) • Potential (the goal): what the child is capable of achieving

8. The Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) • Between these two levels is the ZPD: • “The distance between the actual developmental level as determined by independent problem solving and the level of potential development as determined through problem solving under adult guidance or in collaboration with more capable peers” (Vygotsky, p. 84). • “Development is more productive if children are exposed to new learning precisely within their proximal zone of development. In this zone and with adult assistance children would be able to assimilate more easily what they would be incapable of assimilating if left to themselves.” (Ivic, p. 10) • Effective educators must create meaningful learning contexts to construct knowledge and build upon what the child already knows

9. Social Cognitive Theory In the Classroom • Teaching should be directed towards a child’s emerging skills (in the ZPD) • Activate prior knowledge via learning exercises(for example, think-alouds, K-W-Ls) in the anticipatory set of a lesson • Teacher models by example • Provide collaborative hand-on experiences and group activities (authentic tasks that build rigor, relevance, and relationships) • Scaffold to provide support, then release control to student as they demonstrate competence and confidence • Encourage dialogue (between students and teacher and between peers) – create a verbal rich environment • Create an environment of inclusion to foster students’ positive feelings about school and their abilities

10. Art Ex class with Ms. Mingus (spring 2010), William Fox Elementary (RPS) The second grade students were learning about economics (History and Social Science SOLs 2.7 – 2.9). My PTA-funded art class expanded the lesson over three extra periods so that students could learn about architecture and community planning as we designed our own Box Cities. All architects and architecture students start their large-scale projects by making models of the buildings they design. Following an introductory discussion of buildings, architectural elements, and community zoning (industrial, residential, commercial, and recreational), each student was assigned a specific building to design and encouraged to talk about the goods and services they provided. These buildings were then created using construction paper and cereal boxes. Once the buildings were finished, the students had to work together to decide how to plan their city, lay out the streets, and integrate parks and waterways. We then laid out our city and evaluated its strengths and weaknesses. In developing their spatial thinking, observation and drawing skills, and encouraging collaborative dialogue, they began to see that design is everywhere, and good design can make a city great.

11. The Box City Project: Vygotsky’s Principles in Action • Actual (prior) knowledge: • What the children already knew (prior knowledge before beginning project): History and Social Science SOLs 2.7 – 2.9 [basic economics] • Familiarity with commercial activities and buildings as well as urban and suburban living • ZPD: Students were: • Given an introductory overview of urban zoning and architecture • Assigned a specific building to design and encouraged to talk about the goods and services they provided • Instructed to design both the interior and exterior of their building and include pictures of people using the goods and/or services provided within • Encouraged to work cooperatively to lay out their city into particular zones once the buildings were completed • Asked to think critically about other businesses and buildings that should be added to provide essential services to the community • Asked to think about where to lay out green spaces and streets within the city • .

12. Laying it Out: Critical Student-Led Decision Making and Dialogue/Teacher As "Guide on the Side” Once building were made, students had to lay out their cities and think about zoning Above: the students decided to add a park with a fountain, a farmers market stand, a train and train tracks leading to the train station. Left: Streets have not been laid out yet, but students decided to incorporate recreational areas: a pond and two playgrounds

13. The Box City Project • Potential knowledge: What was learned: Through the lessons, students developed: • Collaborative work and dialogue skills • Critical thinking skills (summarizing, questioning, clarifying, predicting) • Better understanding of architecture and design relative in urban planning and economic activities • Spatial thinking, observation and drawing skills • An appreciation of the importance of good design: design is everywhere, and good design can make a city (and its economy) great

14. Sources • Gunning, Thomas G. (2010). Literacy Instruction for All Students. 7th ed. New York: Pearson Education, Inc. • Ivic, Ivan. (2000). Lev S. Vygotsky. UNESCO International Bureau of Education. Originally published in Prospects: The Quarterly Review of Comparative Education. Paris, UNESCO: International Bureau of Education, vol. XXIV, no. 3/4, 1994, p. 471 – 485. Retrieved from http://www.ibe. unesco.org/ publications/ThinkersPdf/vygotske.pdf. • Vygotsky, L.S. (1978). Thought and Language. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.