In the category of Human Growth and Development on the National Counselor Examination (NCE), the Counselor Preparation Comprehensive Examination (CPCE), or another counseling exam, you might hear about Lev Vygotsky’s theory of the Zone of Proximal Development.
This video will cover the zone of proximal development, including the stages of what someone knows, what they can learn, and what they cannot do. It also covers three important aspects of the zone of proximal development.
What is the Zone of Proximal Development? According to Lev Vygotsky, the Zone of Proximal Development is what a child can learn with the help of another person. His view is that the Zone of Proximal Development is where learning occurs.
How does the Zone of Proximal Development influence learning? The idea is that a parent, guardian, teacher, or even another student might be able to provide help and structure in a way that helps the other person learn more than they could have on their own.
Can the Zone of Proximal Development be represented visually? Yes, we can visualize the Zone of Proximal Development as three circles. In the center we could imagine a circle representing what the person can do currently. Next, we might visualize a slightly larger circle that represents what that person can do with help. Lastly, beyond that, the space would represent what that person cannot do.
What is the More Knowledgeable Other? According to Vygotsky, a “more knowledgeable other” might be a parent, guardian, teacher, or another student. The important thing is for the “more knowledgeable other” to have more knowledge and/or skill than the person they are helping. The more knowledgeable other might need to help with instruction, guiding, or supporting.
Is social interaction important for the Zone of Proximal Development? Vygostsky viewed social interaction as important. His view was that the instructor/teacher needed to have interactions with the students. Furthermore, he viewed it as productive for some students to have a good grasp on a concept while others were still in the zone of proximal development and for these students to then have interactions.
What is scaffolding? The third piece of the Zone of Proximal Development that is believed to be important is the idea of scaffolding. This idea was brought about by Jerome Bruner. If we think about scaffolding in construction, it’s there to help someone reach what they couldn’t do without it. In learning, the idea of scaffolding is that the teacher will provide various supports to help the learner better understand and grasp a new concept. This might be done with modeling or visual aids, for example. Also like scaffolding on the building, scaffolding in learning is meant to be a temporary support to support a learner until they’re gained an understanding of the concept.
