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2 - The Zone of Proximal Development in Vygotsky's Analysis of Learning and Instruction

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 June 2012

By
Seth Chaiklin
Edited by
Alex Kozulin ,
Boris Gindis ,
Vladimir S. Ageyev  and
Suzanne M. Miller
Seth Chaiklin
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Aarhus, Risskov, Denmark
Alex Kozulin
Affiliation:
International Center for the Enhancement of Learning Potential, Jerusalem
Boris Gindis
Affiliation:
Touro College, New York
Vladimir S. Ageyev
Affiliation:
State University of New York, Buffalo
Suzanne M. Miller
Affiliation:
State University of New York, Buffalo
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Summary

What kind of instruction is optimal for a particular child? Without doubt, this question is immediately comprehensible to any committed teacher in virtually any country in the world, and most teachers are likely to want concrete answers to the question, not only as a theoretical puzzle, but in relation to their immediate practices. If one were to look to scientific psychology and educational research for advice in relation to this practical problem, what would the answer(s) look like?

This simple question raises several profound problems. Normative and political issues about the goals of instruction and the resources available for realizing these goals must be resolved. A theory of learning that can explain how intellectual capabilities are developed is needed. If instruction is not viewed as an end in itself, then a theory about the relationship between specific subject matter instruction and its consequences for psychological development is also needed. This last problem was the main tension against which Vygotsky developed his well-known concept of zone of proximal development, so that the zone focused on the relation between instruction and development, while being relevant to many of these other problems. Vygotsky's concept of zone of proximal development is more precise and elaborated than its common reception or interpretation. The main purpose of this chapter is to provide a comprehensive introduction to and interpretation of this concept, along with comments about predominant contemporary interpretations. The chapter concludes with some perspectives and implications derived from the interpretation presented here.

Type
Chapter
Information
Vygotsky's Educational Theory in Cultural Context , pp. 39 - 64
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2003

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