Vygotsky within the Contexts of Online Courses, Virtual Classrooms, and E-Learning
Online Courses
Student-centred online courses are often designed according to a socio-constructivist approach. Here, the socio-constructivist approach should be a union between constructivism and socio-culturalism. According to Vygotsky, the environment is the most important factor in the learning process, and student-centred learning should be within the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD). Altogether, Vygotsky theories are at the root of problem-based learning, which are often evident in online courses (Hall, 2007, p. 94).
Virtual Classrooms
By focusing on “how” students learn within the context of cultural change, the landscape of education needs to take into account the role that online courses can have on the power of language and social interaction in order to allow for the process of knowledge internalization (within a cultural context). There are many practical proposals that can be made for assuring that constructivist education remains student-centered (Freeman, 2010, p. 6).
Student-centred online courses are often designed according to a socio-constructivist approach. Here, the socio-constructivist approach should be a union between constructivism and socio-culturalism. According to Vygotsky, the environment is the most important factor in the learning process, and student-centred learning should be within the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD). Altogether, Vygotsky theories are at the root of problem-based learning, which are often evident in online courses (Hall, 2007, p. 94).
Virtual Classrooms
By focusing on “how” students learn within the context of cultural change, the landscape of education needs to take into account the role that online courses can have on the power of language and social interaction in order to allow for the process of knowledge internalization (within a cultural context). There are many practical proposals that can be made for assuring that constructivist education remains student-centered (Freeman, 2010, p. 6).
E-Learning
Research has shown that the constructivism learning theory, which focuses on knowledge construction based on learner’s previous experience, is appropriate for e-learning because the theory ensures learning among students (Koohang et al., 2009, p. 91). That is, as long as e-learning includes fundamental design elements, collaborative design elements, and learning assessment design elements (Koohang et al., 2009, p. 107), student-centred learning is maintained in that these elements work to ensure that the students are at the center of their learning. Bringing It All Together Please view the video. It is an example of how peer collaboration, through the Vygotskian approach, can be student-centred, socially interactive, and knowledge building outside of the traditional face-to-face classroom setting. |
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References
Freeman, M. (2010). Vygotsky and the Virtual Classroom: Sociocultural Theory Comes to the Communications Classroom. Vol. 4. Issue 1. Special Issue, Christian Distance Education. Retrieved from http://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1067&context=cpe
Hall, A. (2007). Vygotsky Goes Online: Learning Design from a Socio-cultural Perspective. Socio-cultural Theory: Exploring Modern Vygotskian Perspectives International Workshop, Vol. 1. Issue 1. Retrieved from http://ro.uow.edu.au/llrg/vol1/iss1/6
Juliano J. (2009, May 5). Vygotsky's Virtual Video [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUNjEby_Dkg
Koohang et al., (2009). E-Learning and Constructivism: From Theory to Application. Interdisciplinary Journal of E-Learning and Learning Objects. Vol. 5. Retrieved from http://ijklo.org/Volume5/IJELLOv5p091-109Koohang655.pdf
Freeman, M. (2010). Vygotsky and the Virtual Classroom: Sociocultural Theory Comes to the Communications Classroom. Vol. 4. Issue 1. Special Issue, Christian Distance Education. Retrieved from http://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1067&context=cpe
Hall, A. (2007). Vygotsky Goes Online: Learning Design from a Socio-cultural Perspective. Socio-cultural Theory: Exploring Modern Vygotskian Perspectives International Workshop, Vol. 1. Issue 1. Retrieved from http://ro.uow.edu.au/llrg/vol1/iss1/6
Juliano J. (2009, May 5). Vygotsky's Virtual Video [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUNjEby_Dkg
Koohang et al., (2009). E-Learning and Constructivism: From Theory to Application. Interdisciplinary Journal of E-Learning and Learning Objects. Vol. 5. Retrieved from http://ijklo.org/Volume5/IJELLOv5p091-109Koohang655.pdf