Vygotsky's Sociocultural Theory Research Articles

A Study of College English Writing Teaching Based on Dynamic Assessment

For a long time, college-level English writing teaching in China has relied mainly on summative tests, which provide a single and rigid evaluation criteria and limit students' all-around development of writing ability. However, with the current reform of college English teaching, the single assessment method cannot cater to the changing needs of the new teaching model, which emphasizes the cultivation of students' ability to use language. To address this issue, this paper proposes introducing the notion of dynamic assessment into English writing classes at the college level. Dynamic assessment emphasizes the assessment of the learning process and feedback of teaching information, which can lead to a comprehensive, scientific, and reasonable assessment system that plays a crucial role in realizing teaching objectives. Based on Vygotsky's sociocultural theory of mind, this paper presents scaffolding strategies for each stage of writing in college English writing teaching and learning. These strategies serve as a foundation for constructing a theoretical dynamic assessment model in Chinese non-English majors' writing classes. By introducing dynamic assessment into college English writing teaching, this paper aims to explore new methods that increase the efficiency of college English writing teaching and promote college students' English writing ability to adapt to the reform of new requirements for college English teaching.

Finding Vygotsky in Early Childhood Deaf Education: Sociocultural Bodies and Conversations.

Children, including those who are deaf, become aware of and learn about their environments through playing and social and cultural interactions. For most deaf children, preschool classrooms are optimal spaces for these interactions to occur, but only if they can fully engage with this environment. We discuss the need for and constituent aspects of full access to learning in these environments for deaf children. Vygotsky's sociocultural theory is employed chiefly as the basis for exploring and analyzing useful strategies for educators and families of deaf children. Our analysis focuses on processes in which individuals create knowledge through interacting with other people and the environment, a core emphasis of our work. We also discuss that, concomitant with full access to linguistic and social opportunities, deaf preschoolers develop a stronger sense of self, which leads to the development of cultures and languages in and out of their families.

Synthesizing Vygotsky's Sociocultural Theory and Deaf Pedagogy Framework Toward Deaf Education Reform: Perspectives From Teachers of the Deaf.

In U.S. deaf education, disablement results from a normative interpretation of disability in the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act. However, Vygotsky's Fundamentals of Defectology (1993) allows educators to view current deaf education pedagogical practices through a sociocultural-constructivist lens and reject the current remedial special education model. We explore our experience as teachers of the deaf to analyze the current state of deaf education, synthesizing two core areas of Vygotskian research-sociocultural theory and deaf pedagogy-and applying them within a framework outlining characteristics of accessible educational environments that facilitate deaf children's sociocultural and intellectual development. We also examine how special education laws create barriers to implementing Vygotsky's recommendations, then offer practical, actionable solutions based on our sociocultural-constructivist deaf education synthesis. We close with suggestions for systemic change in deaf education that can provide deaf students with equitable, accessible educational environments.

Online Psycho-educational Intervention in Mathematical Learning Difficulties

The present study shows the results of six case studies referring to an intervention applied to mathematical learning difficulties. Participants were 8 to 12 years old. The intervention considered mathematics as a language and it is theoretically based on Bronfenbrenner's bioecological model, Vygotsky's sociocultural theory and Peircean semiotics. The objective was to work on the development of academic skills associating mathematics with interactional social skills. The analysis was based on qualitative data collected during the intervention process and quantitative data from scales and instruments with pre- and post-intervention measures. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic context, some methodological issues were affected, mainly because the evaluations took place before and in the midst of the pandemic. Social impacts of the pandemic have unevenly affected participants, especially adolescents and children. The pandemic had a worse effect on adolescents than on children, especially regarding procedures that involve memory, and those with attentional problems also had worse results.

Teori Perkembangan Piaget dan Vygotsky : Bagaimana Implikasinya dalam Pembelajaran Matematika Sekolah Dasar?

Mathematics is an important subject whose applications were widely used in life. However, many students have difficulty in learning mathematics, including elementary school students. This study aimed to examine the depth of Jean Piaget's cognitive development and Lev Vygotsky's sociocultural theory and their implication for mathematics learning at elementary school age. This study used a qualitative approach with the literature study method. Sources of data in the form of books, journals, and the results of previous research related to research problems. Data collection in this study was carried out using online searches. Data analysis was done by content analysis. The results of this study indicate that according to Piaget's theory of cognitive development, the thinking stage of students in elementary schools was generally in the concrete operational stage. So that the recommended mathematics learning was in the form of student-centered active learning such as discovery learning and contextual learning methods. Meanwhile, based on Vygotsky's sociocultural theory, he recommends cooperative and collaborative mathematics learning as well as optimizing the existence of scaffolding and social interaction in learning.

Bi'ah Lughawiyah of al-Azhar Arabic Course in The Socio-Cultural Vygotsky

This research aims to examine Biah Lughawiyah at the Al-Azhar Arabic Language Course Institute, Pare from the perspective of Vygotsky's socio-cultural theory, namely Zone of proximal development, Scaffolding, and Language and Thought and Cognitive Development. This research uses descriptive qualitative methods. The data source was determined using Purposive Sampling techniques. Data collection techniques use interview, observation and documentation methods. Data analysis techniques use data collection, data reduction, data presentation, and drawing conclusions or verification. The results of this research conclude that Bi'ah Lughawiyah activities at the al-Azhar Pare Arabic Language Course Institute are in accordance with Vygotsky's Socio-Cultural theory, namely: 1) it is mandatory to speak Arabic while at al-Azhar Pare in accordance with the principles of language and thought and cognitive development theory Vygotsky, 2) Mufrodat and al-Azhar Got Talent deposits are in accordance with the principles of zone of proximal development and scaffolding, 3) educational punishments are in accordance with the principles of zone of proximal development, 4) al-imtihan is in accordance with the principles of scaffolding, 5) jurfah class is in accordance with Vygotsky's theory of cognitive development, 6) provision of guidebooks in accordance with the zone of proximal development, 7) awards or rewards in accordance with Vygotsky's principles of language and thought, 8) halaqoh room in accordance with Vygotsky's theory of cognitive development, and 9) an Arabic nuanced environment in accordance with principle of the zone of proximal development.

Drawingfrom and Expandingtheir Toolboxes: PreschoolTeachers' TraditionalStrategies, Unconventional Opportunities, and NovelChallenges in Scaffolding YoungChildren's Social and Emotional Learning During Remote Instruction Amidst COVID-19.

Building on aspects of Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory centering around social interaction and adult scaffolding as essential to children’s learning, this study investigated the most prominently used strategies by eight teachers to scaffold social and emotional learning (SEL) in preschool children (ages 3–4) in the context of remote instruction during the 2021–2022 school year amidst COVID-19. These teachers (seven females and one male) came from two urban preschools funded by their local Board of Education in the state of New Jersey in the United States. These teachers (ages 28–44 years, M = 32 years) varied in teaching experience from five to 29 years (M = 13 years). Each teacher was interviewed for an average of 40 min virtually via Zoom. The interviews were digitally recorded and then transcribed for analysis. A thematic analysis of the data revealed that the three most salient strategies the teachers implemented to virtually scaffold the children’s SEL were: (1) involving book reading and discussion, (2) utilizing visuals, and (3) engaging in targeted conversations. In addition to adapting these three traditional strategies applied during in-person instruction to remote instruction, the teachers creatively and appropriately leveraged online resources to further scaffold and enhance children’s SEL in the unconventional virtual environment, thereby expanding their toolboxes. Despite their intentional efforts, these teachers found that there were unconventional opportunities and novel challenges in scaffolding children’s SEL during remote instruction not traditionally found during in-person instruction. Collectively, the findings of this study suggest that in-person instruction, due to its social nature, is still the most optimal condition for promoting children’s SEL.

Teaching of Language and Pre-Primary School Children’s Reading Readiness in Vihiga County, Kenya

This article presents findings from a study that was carried out in Hamisi Sub-County in Vihiga County, Kenya. The goal of the study was to look at language instruction and pre-primary school children's reading readiness. The study was guided by Vygotsky's sociocultural theory. The study utilized a descriptive survey research design. The study sample was 72 schools selected from a total of 238 to represent 30% of the school population. The schools were sampled using stratified random sampling to ensure that each division was represented by at least 18 out of the 72 schools sampled. Purposeful sampling was used to identify two language teachers from each pre-primary school for the study. One class was observed during a language session and five children were assessed in reading using the reading readiness assessment checklist in 30% of the sampled schools. On the study questions, head teachers and managers from the sampled schools were interviewed. Questionnaires, an interview schedule, a reading readiness checklist, and an observation schedule were used to collect data. Pilot research was conducted by gathering data from the principals and teachers of seven schools in Vihiga Sub County. Test re-test was used to establish whether the tools were reliable. The Alpha reliability coefficient of 0.9 from Cronbach’s convinced the researchers that the instruments were reliable. Data were analysed both qualitatively and quantitatively. The study established that teaching using the first language encourages the acquisition of a second language (85 percent). As a result, first language development must be nourished, nurtured, and improved in order to facilitate English learning, which has a significant impact on reading readiness. The study further established that the learners' social environment, educational environment, and family economic situation all had a significant impact on their language learning and eventual reading readiness (47 percent). The study therefore, concluded that the language environment has the greatest impact on pre-primary school children's reading readiness. Parents are encouraged to enrol their children in pre-primary schools in order to get the benefits of the first level of education

Predicting verbal reasoning from virtual community membership in a sample of Russian young adults

Predicting personality traits from social networking site profiles can help to assess individual differences in verbal reasoning without using long questionnaires. Inspired by earlier studies, which investigated whether abstract-thinking ability are predictable by social networking sites data, we used supervised machine learning to predict verbal-reasoning ability based on a proposed set of features extracted from virtual community membership. A large sample (N = 3,646) of Russian young adults aged 18–22 years approved access to the data from their social networking accounts and completed an online test on verbal reasoning. We experimented with binary classification machine-learning models for verbal-reasoning prediction. Prediction performance was tested on isolated control subsamples for men and women. The results of prediction on AUC-ROC metrics for control subsamples over 0.7 indicated reasonably good performance on predicting verbal-reasoning level. We also investigated the contribution of virtual community's genres to verbal reasoning level prediction for male and female participants. Theoretical interpretations of results stemming from both Vygotsky's sociocultural theory and behavioural genomics are discussed, including the implication that virtual communities make up a non-shared environment that can cause variance in verbal reasoning. We intend to conduct studies to explore the implications of the results further.

TEACHING OF LANGUAGE AND PRE-PRIMARY SCHOOL CHILDREN’S READING READINESS IN HAMISI SUB-COUNTY, VIHIGA COUNTY, KENYA

One of the four skills of language development is reading. It is a form of communication that can be used in both official and informal situations. Reading entails the decoding of communicative symbols in order to get meaning from them. Children's early experiences with language lay a strong basis for future reading achievement. This article presents findings from a study that was carried out in Hamisi Sub-County in Vihiga County. The goal of the study was to look at language instruction and pre-primary school children's reading readiness. The research was guided by Vygotsky's sociocultural theory. The study utilized a descriptive survey research design. The study sample was 72 schools selected from a total of 238 to represent 30% of the school population. The schools were sampled using stratified random sampling to ensure that each division was represented by at least 18 out of the 72 schools sampled. Purposeful sampling technique was used to select two language teachers from each pre-primary school. One class was observed during a language session and five children were assessed in reading using the reading readiness assessment checklist in 30% of the sampled schools. On the study questions, headteachers and managers from the sampled schools were interviewed. Questionnaires, an interview schedule a reading readiness checklist and an observation schedule were used to collect data. Test re-test was used to establish whether the tools were reliable. The Alpha reliability coefficient of 0.9 from Cronbach’s convinced the researchers that the instruments were reliable. Data was analyzed both qualitatively and quantitatively. Findings revealed that the success rate of using the language teaching techniques was moderate, with only (47%) of students in the tested schools being well equipped in reading readiness. Findings further revealed that teaching strategy had little or no impact on learners' reading preparation. The most common teaching and learning resources, according to the study are those that are available locally (52.5 percent). The study also revealed that teaching the first language encourages the acquisition of a second language (85 percent). As a result, first language development must be nourished, nurtured, and improved in order to facilitate English learning, which has a significant impact on reading readiness. The study established that the learners' social environment, educational environment and family economic situation all had a significant impact on their language learning and eventual reading readiness (47 percent). The study concluded that the environment has the greatest impact on pre-primary school children's reading readiness. Parents are encouraged to enroll their children in pre-primary schools in order to get the benefits of the first level of education.<p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/edu_01/0956/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

Exploring EFL Learners' Metaphorical Conceptions of Language Learning: A Multimodal Analysis.

Owing to the limitations of linguistic modes to portray aptly L2 learners' metaphors of language learning experience, growing attention has been paid to taking advantage of other modes like visual ones to ameliorate this concern. Hence, the present study sought to explore images and metaphors Iranian EFL learners may have in mind about the essence of English language as a foreign learning. To this end, Iranian EFL learners' verbal and non-verbal forms of metaphorical depiction were examined. One intact class, including intermediate male and female learners (n = 11) at a non-profit language institute was selected randomly. The data were collected through both verbal (a single-item questionnaire) and non-verbal (drawings) tools. The learners' drawings and written descriptions were examined so as to both tap into their mental representations of what 'English learning' means to them and get closer insights into the learners' belief system. The study's conceptual framework was mainly built on Oxford et al.'s (System 26:3-50, 1998) perspectives on education and Vygotsky's (Mind in society: the development of higher psychological processes, Harvard University Press, 1978) Socio-cultural theory (SCT) of learning. The multimodal analysis of the metaphors evidenced that the learners' verbal and visual metaphorical representations shared the common perspectives towards English learning. Additionally, the extracted metaphorical concepts disclosed the learners' positive attitudes, enthusiasm, and desire for English learning. Results unveiled that most of the visual and verbal metaphorical depictions portray language learning as a joyful, dynamic and discovery individual process. The study ends with presenting some implications and offering some avenues for further research.

Factors affecting learning during internship: A qualitative study of junior doctors.

Internship is a crucial period of learning for medical graduates. The aim of this study was to ascertain what interns learned during internship, who they learned from and the type of environments that influenced their learning. This qualitative study was conducted within the constructivist paradigm of Vygotsky's sociocultural theory of learning. Interns mostly learned what they were expected to learn. They built on their existing knowledge with help from a more knowledgeable other and in an environment that was conducive to learning except when they needed to manage complex situations on their own with no previous experience or training. Learning was influenced by factors related to the workplace, supervisor orsenior doctor and learner. The learning environment is inextricably related to the professional behaviour of clinical teachers and supervisors. A safe and supportive learning environment is necessary for optimal learning outcomes during internship.

Promoting Continuous Professional Development of English Teachers Through Action Research

The current study adopts a mixed-method research design to foster English Language instructors’ attitude toward professional development, self-efficacy beliefs, and reflective thinking. Vygotsky's sociocultural theory constituted the base and the professional development program was designed accordingly. The participants of the study were nine English Language instructors working at three different universities. Throughout the 16-week program, it was aimed to equip the participants with action research skills to conduct their own study in their own context according to their needs and/or interests. All the participants completed the Plan, Act, Observe, and Reflect stages of the Action Research Cycle.

Cultural Diversity Responsive Education: Exploration of Concepts and Dimensions

This study has explored the concepts and dimensions of CDRE to understand its educational implications. The article is based on the review of conceptual and theoretical literature about cultural diversity and multicultural education following diversity-related issues. Guided by Vygotsky's sociocultural theory, post-modernism, and multicultural education theories, the study interprets the existing and observed educational status. By reviewing the policy documents including NCF, NASA, and SSDP and relevant research reports, the study found that the existing educational status of Nepal is being oriented towards particular social class or mainstream culture or teachers' culture. The paper has identified the dimensions of CDRE as CDRC, CDRI, R&I, and CDRA to ensure equity in education which can translate the existing particular social class or mainstream culture or teachers “culture-based instruction into a mass or all students” culture-based instruction in the classroom.

Dynamic Assessment Training and Mediational Strategies of EFL Student Mediators

Grounded in Vygotsky's sociocultural theory of mind, dynamic assessment (DA) procedures integrate assessment and instruction into one unified activity. Mediation as the core concept of DA is defined as the assistance and the feedback offered by the mediator to the learners while engaging in the process of assessment. This study aimed at addressing the effect of DA training on the meditational moves of student mediators regarding a writing accuracy task in small groups in an EFL classroom. A multiple case study design was used in this study. Five students underwent DA training during which they were exposed to a large classroom DA by a teacher mediator followed by basic theoretical underpinnings of DA as well as mock DA practice and discussion. Data were collected though video records of DA training workshops and Group Dynamic Assessment sessions. Additionally, stimulated recall was used to help student mediators reflect on the interactions. Language-related episodes were used for data analysis. The findings showed that DA training resulted in qualitative and quantitative changes in the meditational moves of student mediators, which calls for incorporating of small group DA as an essential complementary to large classroom DA and learner-centered approaches to teaching and assessment in the EFL classrooms.

Competencia intercultural, convivencia escolar y su incidencia en la resolución de conflictos

La investigación tuvo como objetivo general demostrar la incidencia de la competencia intercultural y la convivencia escolar en la resolución de conflictos en estudiantes de secundaria, teniendo en cuenta la teoría socio cultural de Vygotsky y de técnicas alternativas para la resolución de conflictos (T. A. R. C), para las variables. Se utilizó el enfoque cuantitativo y diseño no experimental de nivel transaccional y correlacional – causal, tipo básico, la información se recolectó a través de tres cuestionarios referente a las tres variables correspondientes, compuesto por 24 preguntas cada una en la escala tipo Likert. Se consideró el total de la población de 120 estudiantes. Los resultados obtenidos fueron la prueba de la razón verosimilitud del modelo final; con una significancia de los coeficientes de los parámetros menores a 0,05, siendo el resultado de significancia 0,005 < 0,05 lo que significó el rechazo de la hipótesis nula y aceptación de la hipótesis del investigador. De igual manera en el índice de Nagelkerke se comprobó que la competencia intercultural y la convivencia escolar influyen en un 60,4% en la resolución de conflictos.

Coaching in the time of coronavirus 2019: how simulations spark reflection

PurposeThis study investigates how debrief conversations unfold during virtual coaching sessions that provide embedded opportunities to practice teaching within a mixed reality simulation (MRS). We examine how teacher and coach topical episodes function (agreeing, explaining, clarifying, probing, recapping, reflecting and suggesting) to activate reflection as part of virtual coaching.Design/methodology/approachGrounded in Vygotsky's sociocultural theory and the belief that learning is collaborative and impacts how pre- and in-service teachers construct knowledge, this exploratory case study draws on insights from 15 graduate students (5 pre-service teachers (PSTs) and 10 in-service teachers (ISTs)) who participated in virtual coaching with embedded practice opportunities. Data sources were video recordings and transcripts of 15 virtual coaching sessions, and one-on-one postcoaching interviews. Coding categories were determined through the constant comparative analysis method.FindingsFindings indicate that an MRS provides an immediate context for reflection, which guided the debrief conversations. Additionally, functions occurred with varying frequency among PSTs and ISTs, and across both groups, probing questions often led directly to reflecting and recapping the shared simulation context.Research limitations/implicationsThis study had a small sample (n = 15) and the use of an MRS, while widely used, is not necessarily a scalable practice.Originality/valueIn times of remote teaching, like during corona virus 2019 (COVID-19), opportunities to simulate clinical experiences become vital. With a limited research base, learning how teachers engage with and learn from simulated experiences is a key to creating rich learning opportunities for teachers.

Taf’īl al-Anmāṭ at-Tafā‘uliyyah fī Ta’līm al-Lugah al-‘Arabiyyah Dākhila al-Bī`ah al-Iṣṭinā’iyyah ‘alā Ḍau’i an-NaẒariyyah al-Ijtimā‘iyyah aṡ- Ṡaqafiyyah li Vygotsky

The interaction patterns of Arabic learning can be realized in an artificial environment based on Vygotsky's socio-cultural theory. This research aims; 1. To know the interaction patterns of learning Arabic in an artificial environment. 2. To know how to activate the interaction patterns of learning Arabic in an artificial environment based on Vygotsky's socio-cultural theory. This research is a qualitative analysis descriptive study with a symbolic interactional approach. The data collected by using observation, interviews and documentation. The results of data analysed by using the Miles and Huberman analysis methods. For validating the data used triangulation method. This study finds out that, 1. The pattern of Arabic learning interaction; a. Interaction between teachers students. b. Interaction between teachers groups of students, c. Interaction between teacher groups student groups. 2. There are important thing in activating the interaction pattern; a. Mediated learning. b. Ensure the regulation in children by using scaffolding techniques in zone proximal development of student (ZPD). c. Apply the micro genesis model by providing collaborative learning. d. Watch for and supervise the use of children's "inner speech" and "private speech" considering their level of cognition and age. e. Using an active system in Arabic learning.

Las tecleras o clickers como un instrumento complementario que favorece la construcción de Aprendizaje Significativo en la resolución de problemas en electromagnetismo

One of the difficulties that the theory of significant learning has is to be able to immediately determine conceptual assimilation, that is, to know how the learner is interacting between the previous concepts and the new concepts to be learned. The tecleras or clickers as a technological instrument of the new information and communication technologies allow us to have instantaneous answers from each one of the students when they are subjected to questions that explain their assimilation process. This research proposes a teaching method in problem solving, based on guided inquiry, so that the teacher detects the assimilation of the students when they solve problems. It is underpinned by Ausubel's theory of meaningful learning and Vygotsky's sociocultural theory. The investigation is solved by means of a mixed, quantitative and qualitative methodology, with a quasi-experimental design, where two groups are compared in problem solving; a control group and an experimental group. Problem solving is carried out in an Electromagnetism course, at university undergraduate level. The results show significant progress in the acquisition of significant learning between the experimental group and the control group.

Perceptions of Dental Hygienists About Thesis Completion in Graduate Education.

Few studies have been published on thesis completion experiences of master's degree students. However, for doctoral students, dissertation completion has been found to be dependent on individual, relational, and institutional factors. The aim of this study was to examine dental hygienists' perceptions of their experiences completing a thesis as a requirement for an advanced degree. A qualitative phenomenological research design was used utilizing virtual focus groups with a national purposive sample of dental hygienists (n=25) who had graduated from a degree program in which a thesis was a requirement for the degree. Data analysis used an inductive approach to identify themes using Liechty et al.'s framework of individual, relational, and institutional factors impacting completion of a dissertation. Liechty et al.'s framework is based on Vygotsky's sociocultural theory of learning. In the results, individual factors identified included family/work responsibilities, lack of understanding of the thesis process, time management, health issues, and reaching personal and professional goals. Relational factors focused primarily on positive and negative experiences with the thesis advisor/committee and support from expert peers/family. Institutional factors included the thesis structure, financial concerns, and challenges in recruiting research participants. This study found many factors influencing the thesis experience that may help guide the process in graduate degree programs. In addition, the findings suggest a need to provide mentoring and support for thesis advisors and committee members to more effectively guide students through the thesis process. Effective modifications of these may improve retention of students and facilitate timely completion of thesis research.