VYGOTSKY
Social constructivism was developed by Vygotsky. He rejected the assumption made by Piaget that it was possible to separate learning from its social context.
According to Vygotsky:
Every function in the child's cultural development appears twice: first, on the social level and, later on, on the individual level; first, between people (interpsychological) and then inside the child (intrapsychological). This applies equally to voluntary attention, to logical memory, and to the formation of concepts. All the higher functions originate as actual relationships between individuals. (p. 57)
Although Vygotsky died at the age of 38 in 1934, most of his publications did not appear in English until after 1960. There are, however, a growing number of applications of social constructivism in the area of educational technology.
By the 1980s the research of Dewey and Vygotsky had blended with Piaget's work in developmental psychology into the broad approach of constructivism. The basic tenet of constructivism is that students learn by doing rather than observing. Students bring prior knowledge into a learning situation in which they must critique and re-evaluate their understanding of it.
This process of interpretation, articulation, and re-evaluation is repeated until they can demonstrate their comprehension of the subject.
According to Vygotsky:
Every function in the child's cultural development appears twice: first, on the social level and, later on, on the individual level; first, between people (interpsychological) and then inside the child (intrapsychological). This applies equally to voluntary attention, to logical memory, and to the formation of concepts. All the higher functions originate as actual relationships between individuals. (p. 57)
Although Vygotsky died at the age of 38 in 1934, most of his publications did not appear in English until after 1960. There are, however, a growing number of applications of social constructivism in the area of educational technology.
By the 1980s the research of Dewey and Vygotsky had blended with Piaget's work in developmental psychology into the broad approach of constructivism. The basic tenet of constructivism is that students learn by doing rather than observing. Students bring prior knowledge into a learning situation in which they must critique and re-evaluate their understanding of it.
This process of interpretation, articulation, and re-evaluation is repeated until they can demonstrate their comprehension of the subject.
Social Constructivist
1. Language, Culture, & Knowledge
Vygotsky (1934) emphasized the role of language and culture in cognitive development and in how we perceive the world, and claimed that they provide frameworks through which we experience, communicate, and understand reality.
He demonstrated the importance of language in learning by demonstrating that in infants, communication is a pre-requisite to the child’s acquisition of concepts and language. But, he suggests that people learn with meaning and personal significance in mind, not just through attention to the facts:
I do not see the world simply in colour and shape but also as a world with sense and meaning. I do not merely see something round and black with two hands; I see a clock…. (p. 39)
Language and the conceptual schemes that are transmitted by means of language are essentially social phenomena. Knowledge is not simply constructed, it is co-constructed.
2. The Zone of Proximal Development
Vygotsky believed that learning takes place within the Zone of Proximal Development. In this, students can, with help from adults or children who are more advanced, master concepts and ideas that they cannot understand on their own. This model has two developmental levels:
The Zone of Proximal Development
1. Language, Culture, & Knowledge
Vygotsky (1934) emphasized the role of language and culture in cognitive development and in how we perceive the world, and claimed that they provide frameworks through which we experience, communicate, and understand reality.
He demonstrated the importance of language in learning by demonstrating that in infants, communication is a pre-requisite to the child’s acquisition of concepts and language. But, he suggests that people learn with meaning and personal significance in mind, not just through attention to the facts:
I do not see the world simply in colour and shape but also as a world with sense and meaning. I do not merely see something round and black with two hands; I see a clock…. (p. 39)
Language and the conceptual schemes that are transmitted by means of language are essentially social phenomena. Knowledge is not simply constructed, it is co-constructed.
2. The Zone of Proximal Development
Vygotsky believed that learning takes place within the Zone of Proximal Development. In this, students can, with help from adults or children who are more advanced, master concepts and ideas that they cannot understand on their own. This model has two developmental levels:
- The level of actual development – point the learner has already reached & can problem-solve independently.
- The level of potential development (ZDP) – point the learner is capable of reaching under the guidance of teachers or in collaboration with peers.
- The ZDP is the level at which learning takes place. It comprises cognitive structures that are still in the process of maturing, but which can only mature under the guidance of or in collaboration with others.
The Zone of Proximal Development
White circle: what the student can learn unaided
Blue circle: what student can learn with help
ZDP: area of ‘potential’ where learning takes place
Blue circle: what student can learn with help
ZDP: area of ‘potential’ where learning takes place
References
Vygotsky, L. S. (1980). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Harvard university press.
Vygotsky, L. S. (1980). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Harvard university press.