Vygotsky's ZPD and Scaffolding
Major Concept Summary: ZPD and Scaffolding
ED 304: Psych and Human Development
Author: Abby Porter
Disclosure: ChatGPT was used in the creation of this resource.
Vocabulary
Zone of Proximal Development: represents the space between when a student can do work independently without help and what a student can't learn even with support. It is often shortened to ZPD.
Scaffolding: the style of teaching that allows for the teacher to support a student as they learn new concepts with the ultimate goal of the students being self-reliant.
Vygotsky's zone of proximal development(ZPD) is the area where instruction is considered to be the most beneficial to students. Being in this area of learning shows the learner's potential for growth and development. This zone is sandwiched between mastery of a skill and not being able to do a certain skill at all. ZPD is the area where the students are learning things just out of their capability so guidance through the skill is necessary. Being in this zone builds off previous knowledge while still learning new information and challenging the learners.
This zone will eventually lead to mastery of a subject, however, to lead a student through this zone there are three important components needed which include a more knowledgeable other, social interactions, and scaffolding.
A More Knowledgeable Other (MKO): This could be a teacher, peer, or even technology. It can be anyone with a better understanding or higher ability in a certain area of study. It is the MKO's role to provide learners with support and guidance as they move through the ZPD.
Social Interactions: According to Vygotsky a lot of a child's learning happens through interacting with others, especially with a MKO. The MKO can facilitate deeper thinking and the learner is then able to more fully process the information that they are learning.
Scaffolding: This concept is deeply intertwined with Vygotsky's ZPD theory even though the term itself wasn't introduced until later. Scaffolding refers to the assistance provided by the MKO to help learners with the challenges in what they are learning. The ultimate goal of scaffolding is to have the learners be completely self-reliant. This is done by making small manageable goals with the students that will allow them students to fully understand the concepts. As the student moves forward in their understanding then the MKO can slowly remove the supports they had built so the student can rely on themselves. Scaffolding often builds up starting with easier concepts and then working up to the harder ones. Eventually, all supports will be removed and the student will be self-reliant in that concept.
ZPD and scaffolding have many benefits for the students. Some of these include having individualized instruction, gradual progression and autonomy, and a higher order of thinking or problem-solving.
- Individualized Instruction: ZPD highlights the importance of tailoring instruction toward the needs specific to each learner. By finding a student ZPD allows targeted support and challenging tasks that support growth and engagement
- Gradual Progression and Autonomy: scaffolding allows learners to incrementally build on their knowledge and skills. As the learner gains confidence and understanding they will be able to work independently
- Higher Order of Thinking and Problem Solving: ZPD encourages students to tackle concepts just out of their understanding or current abilities. By engaging in concepts within a student's ZPD the student can learn how to approach complex problems with confidence and persistence.
Prominent Criticisms
Both ZPD and the scaffolding theory have been criticized for the fact that the theory does not explain how the process of development works and that it is too loosely defined to be of real use.
It has also been said that this theory can't be applied to all social or cultural groups. Some learners have social disorders or learning difficulties which doesn't allow them to learn well through social interactions, which is an integral part of this theory.
Not only this but because ZPD and scaffolding require personalized instruction it can be extremely hard to implement, especially with larger class sizes. Some have argued that if ZPD is implemented badly then it can result in negative outcomes like decreased motivation (if tasks are too easy) or decreased self-esteem (if the tasks are too difficult)
Media Examples:
Prominent Figures: Lev Vygotsky
Lev Vygotsky was a prominent Russian psychologist and pioneer in the field of developmental psychology and educational theory in the early 20th century. Vygotsky was born on November 17, 1896, in a town that is present-day Belarus, which was part of the Russian Empire. Vygotsky was raised in a Jewish family so he was influenced by both Jewish and Russian cultural traditions.
Vygotsky went to study law at Moscow State University where he became interested in psychology and philosophy. Vygotsky completed his law degree in 1917 and then pursued a second degree in psychology, focusing on the works of prominent psychologists at the time such as Pavlov and Freud.
Throughout his career as a psychologist, he was able to make significant contributions to several fields including developmental psychology, cognitive psychology, and educational theory. He focused on the social and cultural aspects of development, proposing that learning is a socially mediated process.
His most well-known concept includes the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD), which can describe the range of tasks that a learner can accomplish with assistance, and the concept of scaffolding, the support provided by a more knowledgeable other to help learning within the ZPD. Vygotsky's ideas have had a profound influence on educational practices.
Regardless of Vygotsky's influential work, his career was cut short due to an illness. He suffered from tuberculosis and passed away on June 11, 1934, at the age of 37. A lot of his work remained unpublished when he died and was later discovered and spread by his colleagues and students. Vygotsky's ideas gained broader recognition in the 1960s and have since become very influential in multiple different fields.
Quiz Questions:
1. SATA: What are some benefits of Vygotsky's ZPD and scaffolding?
Learners will be able to build on their knowledge
Allows for individualized instruction
They will progress gradually until they can do it themselves
Students will be able to learn material completely on their own
2. What is scaffolding according to Vygotsky's?
The ability students have to learn concepts on their own
Structure on the outside of a building used by workers when building or repairing
Support provided by an MKO to help learning within the ZPD
3. SATA: What are some of the prominent criticisms about the ZPD?
The theory can't be applied to all social or cultural groups
It can be difficult to apply to large groups
It allows for individualized instruction
Students will be able to learn effectively
4. What is the ZPD?
The range of tasks that a learner can accomplish with assistance
The area where learners can accomplish something easily
The area where the material is beyond the student's capabilities
The range where students know something already and can help others
5. SATA: What are the important pieces of ZPD?
More knowledgeable other (MKO)
Being able to ask questions
Admitting you know nothing
Social interactions
Scaffolding
References and Further Reading
https://thedecisionlab.com/reference-guide/neuroscience/zone-of-proximal-development
https://educationaltechnology.net/vygotskys-zone-of-proximal-development-and-scaffolding/
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