Lev Vygotsky Learning Theory

Vygotsky Introduction• Vygotsky's theories stress the fundamental

role of social interaction in the development of cognition Vygotsky, 1978),

• as he believed strongly that community plays a central role in the process of "making meaning."

• He conducted research & writing during the same time as Piaget (1920’s & 1930’s)

• He died of tuberculosis at the age of 38.

Overview of Piaget & Vygotsky Ideas

Difference from Piagets theory• Different than Piaget’s image of the

individual constructing understanding alone– Everything is social

• Vygotsky saw cognitive development as depending more on interactions with people & tools in the child’s world.– Tools are real: pens, paper, computers; – or Tools are symbols: language, math systems,

signs

Overview of Vygotsky Theory

Social Influences on Cognitive Development

• According to Vygotsky (1978), much important learning by the child occurs through social interaction with a skillful tutor.

• The tutor may model behaviors and/or provide verbal instructions for the child.

• Vygotsky refers to this as cooperative or collaborative dialogue.

• The child seeks to understand the actions or instructions provided by the tutor (often the parent or teacher)

• then internalizes the information,• using it to guide or regulate their own

performance.

More Knowledgeable Other

• The more knowledgeable other (MKO) is somewhat self-explanatory;

• it refers to someone who has a better understanding or a higher ability level than the learner, with respect to a particular task, process, or concept.

Zone of Proximal Development• The concept of the More Knowledgeable

Other is integrally related to the second important principle of Vygotsky's work, the Zone of Proximal Development.

• This is an important concept that relates to the difference between what a child can achieve independently and what a child can achieve with guidance and encouragement from a skilled partner.

• Vygotsky (1978) sees the Zone of Proximal Development as the area where the most sensitive instruction or guidance should be given

• allowing the child to develop skills they will then use on their own

• developing higher mental functions.

• Vygotsky also views interaction with peers as an effective way of developing skills and strategies. 

• He suggests that teachers use cooperative learning exercises where less competent children develop with help from more skillful peers within the zone of proximal development.

Features of ZPD

• Scaffolding• Reciprocal teaching

Scaffolding

• Appropriate assistance given by the teacher to assist the learner accomplish a task.

• Requires that an instructor shows example how to solve a problem, while controlling the learning environment so that students can take things step by step expanding their knowledge without excessive frustration. 

Scaffolding strategies

• Motivate the student interest into task• Break the task into manageable step• Provide some direction to keep the students

focused• Reduce factors that cause frustration• Model and define the expectations of the

activity

Reciprocal teaching • A highly successful teaching method, it

provides an environment of open dialogue between student and teacher which goes beyond a simple question and answer session.

Basic principles by Vygotsky

• Children construct their knowledge.• Development cannot be separated from its

social context. • Learning is mediated. • Language plays a central role in mental

development.

Elementary Mental Functions• Lev Vygotsky refers to Elementary Mental

Functions –• Attention• Sensation• Perception• Memory

Higher Mental Function

• Eventually, through interaction within the sociocultural environment, these are developed into more sophisticated and effective mental processes/strategies which he refers to as Higher Mental Functions.

Attention • Attention, the concentration of awareness on

some phenomenon to the exclusion of other stimuli.

• a state of consciousness characterized by such concentration.

• a capacity to maintain selective•  or sustained  concentration.

Sensation • Sensations can be defined as • The passive process of bringing

information from the outside world into the body and to the brain.

• The process is passive in the sense that we do not have to be consciously engaging in a "sensing" process

Sensation occurs• Sensory organs absorb energy from a

physical stimulus in the environment.• Sensory receptors convert this energy into

neural impulses and send them to the brain.

Perception

• Perception can be defined as the active process of selecting, organizing, and interpreting the information brought to the brain by the senses.

• Perception follows the brain organizes the information and translates it into something meaningful.

Memory • “Memory is the process of maintaining

information over time.” (Matlin, 2005)

• “Memory is the means by which we draw on our past experiences in order to use this information in the present’ (Sternberg, 1999).