Sociocultural Theory Flashcards
Sociocultural Theory
Vygotsky’s social development theory asserts that a child’s cognitive development and learning ability can be guided and mediated by their social interactions. His theory states that learning is a crucially social process as opposed to an independent journey of discovery.
ZPD
Zone of Proximal Development. defined as the space between what a learner can do without assistance and what a learner can do with adult guidance or in collaboration with more capable peers.
Scaffolding
Scaffolding is the process by which a more knowledgeable person (a teacher, mentor, or peer) provides structured support to a learner as they work on a task within their ZPD. Over time, the level of support is adjusted based on the learner’s increasing competence, with the ultimate goal of promoting independent learning.
