Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory views human development as a socially mediated process in which children acquire cultural values, beliefs, and problem-solving strategies through collaborative dialogues with more knowledgeable members of society.

Mcleod, 2023

Vygotsky (Russian psychologist from the 1900s), believed learning was a fundamental part of developing human psychological function, in contrast to Piaget, who believe human development preceded learning. Both were constructivist development psychologists and I find this a useful summary table for comparing the two theories.

Sourced from https://www.simplypsychology.org/vygotsky.html

More Knowledgable Other (MKO)

A teacher, older adult, older student or a child’s peers may be a MKO. An adult’s children may be MKOs on certain topics! Electronic tutors or AI bots may be MKOs.

Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)

The concept of what a child can achieve independently vs what a child can achieve with support and encouragement from a MKO. Relates to the idea of scaffolding to foster skill development.

ZPD model shows us that if lessons are too easy, students will not be learning; if lessons are too difficult, students will find them stressful unless supports are put in place. The Zone of Proximal Development is what the student can achieve with help. As educators, we need to consider what sources of support can be made available from the teacher, student peers, technology and tools.

The implications for classroom practice are profound. If we can scaffold the cognitive function of a child at an appropriate level, we can enable them to advance their learning and develop new skills. In a classroom setting, we want to improve both access to the curriculum and the level of challenge. Our alternative approach to lesson planning and delivery using the universal thinking framework enables educators to fully embrace this philosophy.

structurallearning.com
Source: https://www.structural-learning.com/post/the-zone-of-proximal-development-a-teachers-guide

References

Mcleod, S. (2023, July 26). Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory of cognitive development. SimplyPsychology. https://www.simplypsychology.org/vygotsky.html

Structural Learning. (2021, August 16). The zone of proximal development – a teacher’s guide. Structural Learning. https://www.structural-learning.com/post/the-zone-of-proximal-development-a-teachers-guide