Welcome to the ETEC 512 Learning Conference on Vygotsky. This website will introduce you to Vygotsky, his ideas regarding learning theories and examples of how to apply this learning theory within an educational environment. Join our discussion area to leave comments or ask questions. Each page within this site will provide you with expanded information on Vygotsky's learning theory and an opportunity to scaffold your learning on these topics. For a list of resources referenced within this website, consult the references page.
Vygotsky, best known for the zone of proximal development, also worked in the fields of developmental psychology, child development, and education. At a young age he worked on key concepts such as psychological tools, mediation, and internalization. Vygotsky's learning theory has many names, some of which are Social Constructivism, Social Development Theory, and Sociocultural Theory. The main tenet of this theory revolves around the importance of social factors, culture and language in developing cognition (Vygotsky, 1978). For an interactive biographical timeline of Vygotsky, view this Timeglide. Before exploring our ETEC 512 Vygotsky Learning Conference, take a few minutes to review some of the notable findings Vygotsky made during his short-lived life in the video below. |
Learning Objectives
As you make your way through our Vygotsky Learning Conference, we would like you to be able to:
- construct new meaning surrounding Vygotsky's sociocultural theory
- evaluate if you are currently using any of Vygotsky's sociocultural theory within your educational practice
- analyze if you could alter any of your educational instruction to reflect an increasingly Vygotskian approach
- summarize teaching techniques or methods which reflect the sociocultural theory of Vygotsky
References
Campbell, G. (2013, October 3). Vygotsky: That's a rap! [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKRPwHTMCtI
Lev Vygotsky, Soviet psychologist. Photography. Encyclopædia Britannica ImageQuest. Web. 7 Nov 2015.
http://quest.eb.com/search/132_1229530/1/132_1229530/cite
Vygotsky, L. (1978). Mind and society [PDF]. Retrieved from http://www.cles.mlc.edu.tw/~cerntcu/099-curriculum/Edu_Psy/EP_03_New.pdf
Campbell, G. (2013, October 3). Vygotsky: That's a rap! [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKRPwHTMCtI
Lev Vygotsky, Soviet psychologist. Photography. Encyclopædia Britannica ImageQuest. Web. 7 Nov 2015.
http://quest.eb.com/search/132_1229530/1/132_1229530/cite
Vygotsky, L. (1978). Mind and society [PDF]. Retrieved from http://www.cles.mlc.edu.tw/~cerntcu/099-curriculum/Edu_Psy/EP_03_New.pdf