Reading Alliances Project: the development of readers and writers rooted in Funds of Knowledge / Proyecto Alianzas de Lectura: la formación de lectores y escritores enraizada en los fondos de conocimiento

According to Vygotsky's cultural-historical theory, mastering a new form of thinking or skill requires interaction with a more competent partner, with the task being in the zone of proximal development of the student. Both partners should be active during the task, with established inter-subjectivity, and the teacher providing sensitive scaffolding in the jointly formed work strategy. Although the zone of proximal development is often considered solely as an intervention in the cognitive domain, it cannot be fully understood without considering the affective side of learning. This paper analyzes the importance of affective interaction in the zone of proximal development in the cultural-historical approach to learning, and connects and supports it with contemporary findings, which suggest that the emotions of students and teachers, and their mutual affective relationship play a crucial role in all aspects of knowledge co-construction. Based on these considerations, pedagogical implications are derived. cultural-historical theory, zone of proximal development, preconditions of effective teaching, emotions and learning. Abstract Keywords

The study is devoted to the theoretical and methodological analysis of the concept of zone of proximal development, which is of great practical importance for education since it explains the mechanism of the influence of learning on the development of a student. Therefore, the purpose of the study is to analyse the current content and trends in the development of this concept and its derivatives. In this context, the classical ideas of L.S. Vygotsky on the zone of proximal development and the zone of present development, their indicators, and essential characteristics, including the evolution of the methodological status of the concept of zone of proximal development in psychology and pedagogy are analysed. Modern derivatives of the concept of zone of proximal development (scaffolding, zone of free movement, zone of prompted actions, zone of negative development, zone of variable development, zones of intermental development in the dialogue between teachers and students, etc.), its connections and correlation with these related and interrelated concepts are analysed. Based on the theoretical analysis, the psychological, didactic, and heuristic potential of the concept zone of proximal development is determined, in particular, its use as a methodological tool for developing projects in various fields of practice and branches of psychology. The latter is demonstrated by the example of student learning. The problem points and paradoxes of the modern understanding of the concept of zone of proximal development are also identified. The problem analysis is organised around the following subjects: the potential of the dual-plane zone of proximal development, the problem of its individualisation, the problem of social competence of interaction subjects that creates this zone, the zone of proximal development in the context of symmetrical-asymmetric learning and the quality of communication with peers in the group, the problem of the specific features of the zone of proximal development of an adult or an elderly person, the problem of moral competence and the inconsistency of the phenomenon of learning as a potential to change under external guidance. The obtained scientific results will be useful both for modern theorists of teaching and educating young people, and for teachers and psychologists working in educational institutions of various levels

This thesis is a self-study conducted from an insider perspective that chronicles the changes I made to my work practices as I moved from using a developmental to a cultural-historical theoretical approach in my teaching. Early childhood teachers are faced with differing theoretical perspectives with which to work as described within the Early Years Learning Framework (DEEWR, 2009). There are still many teachers within the field who have been solely trained in Piaget‟s constructivist theory. Many of these teachers are not able to access newer information that easily explains how to alter their practices as most of the information is presented from an outsider‟s position. New teachers may have a basic knowledge of a variety of theorists but still have minimal knowledge of how to actually put the theory into action within their practices. An investigation of current literature revealed reports from an outsider‟s perspective on how cultural-historical theory might benefit a child‟s learning through the use of specific aspects of the theory. There is an emphasis on the importance of play and imagination and the use of the Zone of Proximal Development. However, there are few reports on how the educator might use these theoretical concepts in practice. Consequently, there was minimal support available to me via readings to assist my changing theoretical base. This thesis, therefore, aims to fill the knowledge gap and provide an insider‟s viewpoint of what to include from Vygotsky‟s cultural-historical theory to mediate teaching practice. This thesis presents three findings that the teacher can focus on to mediate practice. These are (1) Practices of interpretation and interaction; (2) Practices of tool adaptation; and (3) Practices of temporality. The practices of interpretation and interaction have put the focus onto the teacher to support the child‟s learning and knowledge development. This is also a focus within the EYLF (DEEWR, 2009) as there is the expectation for the teacher to be involved with the child through intentional teaching and teacher-led play. Practices of interpretation require the teacher to consider the importance of the stages of imagination for the child‟s development – and positions that can be used to support the child‟s learning – such as giving the child practical help to achieve a task, or working in an “under” position to enable the child to practise newly learnt skills as well as enabling the social situation of development to begin. Practices of interaction require the teacher to be involved with the child, and this can be through sustained conversations with the child as well as using the positions to support the child‟s learning and development. Practices of interaction also involve the teacher considering the child‟s position within the Zone of Proximal Development and so work with the child to support the learning that is possible. Practices of tool adaptation require the teacher to reconsider what materials are supplied to support the child, to consider the multi-purpose of the tools, and consider the importance and use of technologies to support the child‟s learning. Practices of temporality is the surprising concept discovered by this research. It focuses on two lines; that of the teacher as well as the child. The teacher needs to take time to learn and understand the new theoretical framework and how to use it within her practices as well as providing time for the child to learn and develop. The child needs the time to progress through the stages of imagination and develop play to the point where it is mature play and becomes a leading activity for the child. An important finding from this insider perspective is the influence of the dialectic that is important for Vygotsky‟s cultural-historical theory. Outsider research acknowledges the dialectic, but minimal work has been undertaken to describe how it works in practice. This thesis shows the dialectic at work through the three practices; in particular, how one practice can dominate over the other practices and how this dominance can shift depending on the circumstances. This knowledge can support the teacher to understand how to more effectively provide optimal learning opportunities for the children she is educating.

This theoretical article attempts to locate the concept of a zone of proximal development within the holistic context of cultural-historical theory. In order to analyze the psychological content of processes taking place within the zone of proximal development, special content of personality and mental development has been singled out. We propose methodologically correlating the concept "zone of proximal development" and personality development. It has been demonstrated that neoformations and leading activity, which serve as indicators of child development, also define the zone of proximal development at each specific psychological age. The article argues that only education that influences the zone of proximal development's boundaries is developmental education (as understood by L. S. Vygotsky).

The study explores the perceptions of Indonesian teachers in the EFL classroom using Zone of Proximal Development in English teaching. This study employs a descriptive study using the purposive sampling technique. The participants are teachers of an Islamic University in Makassar metropolitan area- Indonesia. The questionnaire and interview were used to collect data on perceptions of EFL teachers in using Zone of Proximal Development in teaching English poetry to their universities students. The observation was applied to gain the data on the EFL teacher’s teaching practices in implementing the Zone of Proximal Development in teaching English poetry. The results of the study demonstrate that there were marked differences in the way the teachers perceive Zone of Proximal Development in teaching English poetry. The differences fall into 3 categories: (1) Zone of Proximal Development Meta Perception (2) Zone of Proximal Development Macro Perception and (3) Zone of Proximal Development Micro Perception. This study expects to be a beneficial reference for English poetry teachers, the government, and other literature practitioners.

There are two ways of understanding child development. The first places emphasis on the human cultural dimension. The essential component of culture is a system of cultural norms known as “ideal forms,” wherein the adult acts as a bearer of these ideal forms or culture. From this standpoint, the child acquires already established forms (in this sense, old norms). The second approach is based on understanding the child’s infinite and unlimited capabilities. The realization of such opportunities, due to their unlimited nature, involves going beyond the zone of proximal development. This requires conceptualizing a different space, oriented to new forms of culture that are not yet in existence—the space of child realization. The orientation of this space is the opposite to that of the zone of proximal development: instead of an old norm being acquired (i.e., the adaptation of the child to their culture) the goal for an adult is, in the space of child realization, to help the child realize their intent by creating new elements of culture.<br>

Purpose. The purpose of this article is to introduce cooperative-based learning and Vygotsky’s zone of proximal development (ZPD) to the simulation literature as two important mutually supportive learning theories that may enhance the effectiveness of simulation-based instruction. Design/Methodology/Approach. A brief literature review of cooperative-based learning and Vygotsky’s zone of proximal development (ZPD) is presented, along with a description of how these two important learning theories may be applied to improve simulation-based instruction. Findings. When learning new material or skills, learners sometimes need to be assisted with moving through the disequilibrium process that can occur when the new information contrasts with their existing frames of reference or ways of knowing. Cooperative-based learning and the zone of proximal development (ZPD) can be used to assist the learner with working through the disequilibrium process, including accommodating and assimilating the new skills and information into their own practice. Limitations/Implications. Gaps in the simulation literature, including ways to implement both theories into practice, can lead to incomplete or ineffective simulation-based instruction practices. Originality/Value. Many organizations have implemented simulation into their patient safety program, but have not considered how the zone of proximal development (ZPD) and cooperative-based learning can be used to improve educational outcomes.

The need for research into the transformation of relationships between primary school stakeholders is caused by the acceleration of social and technological processes in which all agents are involved. Digital platforms functioning in unified information systems become cross-functional where they support managerial and pedagogical innovative solutions. The authors regard digitization as a new space for the poly-subjective relationships within information system development. In the transition to digitization it is important to examine the pedagogical aspects and assess the potential advantages but also consider risks. This study considers one of the significant manifestations of digitization as the transformation of the relationship between the teacher and the learner when the learning process is augmented by some active digital practices. Empirical data was obtained during a large-scale pedagogical experiment within the framework of “Learn to Learn” project focused on primary school learners. The sample included over 2,500 students from 46 schools of different regions of Russia. The experiment started in 2018. The project was based on a digital platform which facilitates the diverse roles of different education process stakeholders. The platform records learners’ step by step actions for further examination. These ‘digital footprints’ are available to the adults – teachers and parents, who accompany the learning process. The data is presented through the lens of the theory of liminality and Vygotsky’s concept of ‘zones of development’ and is accompanied by a comparison with contemporary international research in the field. The paper also considers the concepts of relationship transformation between the teacher and the learner while using digital technologies and analyses of the database. Drawing on the empirical data the research demonstrates the role of digital platforms to compensate for deficiencies in child’s skills and personal growth moving them into the ‘zone of proximal development’.

In this commentary, the author reconceives Vygotsky's zone of proximal development (ZPD), particularly its conflation with the notion of instructional scaffolding. The author reviews Vygotsky's description of theZPDand how it has come to be misinterpreted; summarizes Wood, Bruner, and Ross's introduction of the scaffolding metaphor and how it emerges from a poor translation; and provides a different, more accurate translation of theZPDas the zone of next development as available in the documentary filmThe Butterflies of Zagorsk. The author argues that the conflation of scaffolding with theZPDhas produced a trivialization of Vygotsky's greater body of work, which focused on long‐term, socially mediated human development not short‐term learning. The author makes a case for contextualizing Vygotsky's attention to theZPD(better translated as zone of next development) in a broader reading of his work and its emphasis on how people develop over time rather than through brief pedagogical intervention.

Lev Vygotsky is considered one of the most influential thinkers of the 20th century, however most educators are only familiar with a part of his scientific legacy including such concepts as “zone of proximal development” and “private speech.” At the same time, Vygotsky’s insights on the nature of human development and on the processes of teaching and learning were used by generations of his students not only to develop a comprehensive cultural historical framework, but also to design many practical classroom applications. The chapter summarizes the main contributions of Vygotsky and post-Vygotskians to education with the focus on the early years of a child’s life. Key Words: Vygotsky, cultural historical theory, higher mental function, leading activity, zone of proximal development, mental tools, internalization, tools of the mind, self-regulation, play, pivots, critical periods, dynamic assessment.

Aim/Thesis: The aim of this research is to promote the use of the three concepts-- the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD), the Gettier Problem, and Corpus Linguistics (Contextual Learning)--to increase the academic performance of early undergraduate engineering students. Concept/Methods: 30 Engineering students completed one untimed Mensa IQ Test of 10 questions and one Simon-Binet IQ Test of 50 random IQ questions with a 12 minute time limit. These 30 students were chosen from two different college sections: 15 students from each section. Before the second Simon-Binet Test, one group, G(a), was given ZPD scaffolding in three major topics — Working Memory, Fluid Reasoning and Spatial Reasoning —as they had answered questions based on these concepts incorrectly in their first Mensa IQ test. The second group, G(b), was not given the ZPD scaffolding. A statistical t-test that was later performed indicated that G(a), with scaffolding, outperformed G(b), without the scaffolding, in the second IQ test. Results and conclusion: Using the t-test, it is seen that the hypothesis of this research that ZPD, Gettier Problem and Corpus Linguistics can enhance the performance of the students in a short time period is correct. After the first Mensa IQ test, the level of both the groups G(a) and G(b) of engineering students was almost the same, indicated by a very similar mean results. However, after supporting G(a) utilizing ZPD, Gettier Problem and Corpus Linguistics for their three problem areas - Working Memory, Fluid Reasoning and Spatial Reasoning - identified after their first IQ test where the students needed scaffolding, the performance of this group improved more in comparison to G(b), as indicated by the results of the second online Simon-Binet Test. Research restrictions: It was not possible to provide all the random questions of the online Simon-Binet test given to all 30 students because the total number of questions would be 30*50=1500. Only the first ten questions of the Mensa IQ test are included in this research paper. Further, the third and fourth year engineering students are not included in this research as it is assumed that they have had already developed expertise and the effect of the investigated tools would not be clearly visible. Practical application: ZPD scaffolding was applied to the students when the students’ major problem areas were identified as requiring contextual learning and support. The Gettier Problem-- an epistemological concept-- was also used to keep their mind open at all the times during the learning process and Linguistics Corpus gave the contextual support as ZPD proposes the social-contextual mode of learning. Originality/Cognitive value: The paper presents empirical research on engineering students demonstrating the practical utility of ZPD, Gettier Problem and Corpus Linguistics in the process of learning, potentially irrespective of any discipline.

Over a period spanning more than twenty years (1984–2007), Wertsch has provided examples of learning–teaching situations to illustrate various theoretical concepts he has applied to explicate and elaborate Vygotsky's concept of mediation and the zone of proximal development. The examples include a puzzle copying task (1979, 1984, 1985), an instance of reciprocal learning (1998), and the learning of elementary statistical concepts by means of graphic representation (2007). In his early work with the puzzle task, in which he focused on the zone of proximal development, Wertsch introduced the ‘explanatory concepts’ of situation definition , negotiation , intersubjectivity and semiotic mediation (1984, 1985), drawing on the work of Rommetveit (1979). He commented then that he ‘focused on these theoretical constructs because they seem to be points over which confusion is most likely to arise’ and also that ‘they are issues that are either presupposed or explicitly involved in much of the existing research on the zone of proximal development’ (1984, p. 16). With the example of reciprocal teaching, Wertsch added to the mix his own concepts of mediational means and cultural tools as well as the concept of the materiality of mediational means, all of which he developed in his account of Mind in Action (1998). In the last example of the learning and teaching of statistical concepts, Wertsch (2007) supplements his theoretical arsenal with the Vygotskian principle that word meaning develops.

The objective of this research is to improve the learning outcomes of students in Class X-1 at SMAN 6 Kota Tangerang Selatan through the application of the scaffolding method within the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD). The scaffolding method in the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) is a concept of student development proposed by Vygotsky, as noted in Ratnawati Mamin's journal. Vygotsky's concept encompasses two primary aspects of student ability development: actual and potential development abilities (Mamin, 2008, p. 56). These two concepts rely on students' ability to work independently with guidance and direction from adults. Applying the scaffolding method within the ZPD helps students overcome learning difficulties, strengthens their understanding, and significantly enhances their learning outcomes. Students can also gradually progress with appropriate support from teachers, peers, and other resources. The subjects of this research are the teachers and students of Class X-1 at SMAN 6 Kota Tangerang Selatan. This study uses a qualitative approach combined with a quantitative approach through a classroom action research method, as the main objective of classroom action research is to improve and enhance educators' professional services in managing the teaching and learning process. The expected outcome is that the application of the Scaffolding Method within the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) can improve the learning outcomes of Class X-1 students at SMAN 6 Kota Tangerang Selatan.

It has been reported that the temporal aspects of the zone of proximal development (ZPD) are underanalyzed. The aim of this article is to use the literary science concept of Paul Ricoeur’s triple mimesis to elucidate unanalyzed aspects of the temporal living and learning processes of interprofessional teams in the ZPD. Both mimesis2 and ZPD are temporal constructs embedded in the present of time, and for both mimesis2 and ZPD, activity is created and carried by the actors. While the internal processes in ZPD have remained unanalyzed to date, Ricoeur provides emplotment with its procedural mechanisms for the activity in mimesis2. Being narrating beings, humans have an affinity for narrative emplotments that then structure the activities in the ZPD. Because mimesis2 is based on narrative time, the basic requirement for employing mimesis2 in ZPD is that the ZPD has a narrative base, which is probable when health students are the actors and the case they are working on is a patient.

The evaluation of teaching quality for university professors is a topic of common concern in the current reform of higher education evaluation. In light of the issues such as the lack of objective and scientific quantification in the majority of current university evaluations, as well as the significant manpower and time costs involved, a new approach for evaluating the teaching quality of university professors based on the students' Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) is proposed. Firstly, the multidimensional data of university students are analyzed to identify the key factors related to the performance of a specific course. Machine learning algorithms are then used to predict the students' ZPD for that course. Secondly, by considering the difference between the predicted ZPD and the actual ZPD, taking into account the students' initial potential and their educational achievements, a more scientific evaluation of the professors' impact is conducted. The extent to which professors help students reach and surpass their ZPD, as well as expand their own potential, is measured to assess the teaching quality. By establishing an evaluation mechanism centered on the Contribution Index based on ZPD improvement, the predicted growth of students' ZPD is combined with their actual growth, quantifying the impact of professors' teaching quality in a meaningful way. This provides a more reliable and valid method for evaluating the teaching quality of university professors.