Designing Instruction to Develop Mental Fuctions

Zone of proximal development: the distance between the actual problem solving ability of the child acting independently and the problem solving level that is accomplished with guidance.  This is a key element ot Vygotsky, although it goes against traditional education which says:
    (1) child's level of developonmet is that which they can accomplish alone
    (2) as soon as a child acquires something, development ceases.

Scaffolding (Wood, Bruner, Ross, 1976):  the process of controlling the task elements that initially are beyond the learner's capcity, so that the learner can concentrate on and complete those elements within his or her immediate capability.



 
 

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