Vygotsky’s Social Development Theory

Vygotsky’s Social Development Theory

Vygotsky's theory is that social interaction plays an important role in the progression of cognitive growth. Vygotsky believes that social learning comes before development; other theorists like piaget’s believe that children’s development comes before their learning. I can agree with Vygotskie’s theory that experiences bring on certain learning development. If a child is never sees or experience things; then, he/she won’t develop those domains unless taught to do so. At that point, we can still go back to Vygotsky’s theory and say that social learning has to be experienced through teaching then development of the task will be learned.

Vygotsky (1978) states: "Every function in the child's cultural development appears twice: first, on the social level, and later, on the individual level; first, between people (interpsychological) and then inside the child (intrapsychological)." Vygotsky's Social Development Theory focuses on two main principles; the first principle is called the More Knowledgeable Other. This explains about any person who has a higher level of ability or is more knowledgeable than the student about a specific idea, task, problem process, or concept. The More Knowledgeable Other can be anyone that can teach the child or student like a parent, teacher, friend, coach. This can also refer to a computer. Wow, what a concept, a computer is more knowledgeable in any one manner and therefore can play that role. This concept also supports Vygotsky’s theory of learning. So, when a child is socially engaged and there is someone or something that is guiding the child through this experience; the child will then develop in that task or process. The second principal is the Zone of Proximal Development; which plays the role of the coach that guides the student through collaboration with friends and peers working together to perform a task that a student might have been unable to complete alone. Therefore, it brings me to the conclusion that a computer application can be that guidance along with the collaboration of the teacher and the other students in the classroom.

When teachers use technology in the classroom; they are promoting an environment that helps the student take on an active role in their own learning. The teacher and students can work together and become the guidance that plays the More knowledgeable other and put the student in the proper Zone of Proximal Development. Students can take the lead of their own learning by using the computers and technology such as the Internet, games, simulations, and much more of what we have learned in Dr. Lambert’s class. Social interaction becomes the main role in learning which leads to development. As a matter of fact, Vygotsky’s theory suggests clustered desks and work space for peer instruction, collaboration. This sound to me a lot like a classroom with possible laptops while students sit in a cluster to allow for peer instruction, small group instruction, and collaboration. I agree with the theory’s suggestion that teachers need to set up an environment where the instructional design of the materials to be learned is structured in a way to encourage students to interact and collaborate with one another to become a community of learners. I keep thinking of the second life classroom which can be used to hold classes and allow for this interaction and collaboration. Students can complete blogs and use each other’s knowledge to comment on each other’s work; as to where they become the coach or the mentor. The student at that time will take learning into his own hand and comment back on the words of his or her coach; hence, providing an opportunity for social interaction experiences which leads to positive learning development.

This Type of learning will slowly move away from the recitation teaching that is constantly occurring; this is 2010, let’s set up classrooms that use the Internet to teach through social interaction which challenges the methods of the traditional teaching. Using the technology in the classroom will allow for scaffolding, reciprocal teaching and guided instruction which is effective strategies that implement Vygotsky’s theory; creating an environment which assists students to accomplish a task that they could not complete alone. All this can take place through a possible wiki page; where students can work together to accomplish a goal or a lesson allowing for reciprocal teaching which can be used to teach reading, writing, or editing. Students can take turns being the teacher for a pair or small group; the teacher can be there to clarify or ask questions. Through an open dialogue on Skype or on a Wiggio page there can be guided instruction which involves the teacher and students exploring a possible lesson of math problems. Together they can share different problem solving strategies in an open dialogue and coach one another.

In conclusion, social interaction has become the clear pathway to the integration of computer technology in the classroom. In the past, collaboration and peer instruction used to be possible only in shared physical space; at this time of age, learning relationships can be utilized by Internet space and technology to. This verifies that the social interaction can take place in many places which in turn provides many meaningful opportunities for students to learn and develop as Vygotsky’s theory suggests.

As an Administrator of a school where many of the classrooms provide access to personal computers and connections to the Internet; I would like to speak on some of the many significant challenges that teachers and administrators have faced or will face when using the Internet in their classrooms and jobs.

I wanted to point out some positive internet sites that could be used in classrooms; for example, look at the site below which shows how teachers can use Google Maps to teach our kids a proper way to help them understand distances and maps, while getting them familiar with a real online tool. http://www.bewebaware.ca/english/default.html. What about this site of many more; http://www.cyberbee.com/; CyberBee has been providing rich Internet resources to educators for over 13 years and is one of the internet sites that can be used as part of a curriculum. I could give you pages and pages of sites that teachers can use in the classroom, like the simulated games and virtual worlds and educational programs that are web based, blogs, twitter, etc..; but I do not want to be repetitive in all that have been said on the topic in previous blogs, assignments, and such. I do however would like to share the following thoughts with you:
Like anything else, the internet use in the classrooms has its vital challenges. I believe that the internet has been introduced to our students; we can’t take it away now. For some students, internet has become one of the most important components of their life. I feel that students may be facing much negativity that come along with the internet; but you and I know it is too late to try to hinder their intelligence by not allowing them to experience something that is so important to their development in a society that requires that knowledge. They will experience and use the internet everywhere else; why not make sure they use it under the proper supervision. I was happy to find the (http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/curr093.shtml) site; which help teachers make sure that students are aware of the basic Internet safety rules that they must abide by before they would be allowed to surf the net independently. This is a great resource, for many and especially for elementary children. Lawrence J. Magid said "My Rules for Online Safety". Great rules amongst many stated below:
"I will tell my parents right away if I come across any information that makes me feel uncomfortable.”
“I will never agree to get together with someone I 'meet' online without first checking with my parents. If my parents agree to the meeting, I will make sure it is in a public place and I will bring my mother or father along.”
“I will never send a person my picture or anything else without first checking with my parents."

For those of you, out there that are worried about the use of the internet in your classroom, browse through the Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) for Internet use; which can be one of the most important documents a school can produce. I feel that this will give many students a sense of responsibility as to what they will or will not do. Much of thoughtful research and planning have been put forth to help with the problem of usage of the internet in the classroom. Education World offers food-for-thought and a few useful tools for educators faced with developing a workable AUP for their school's students.

Yes, I do realize that there is a strong fear from the use of computer technology in the classroom, as a matter of fact, we all are worried about the dangers that the uncensored Internet might hold for children. I have read and maybe seen the inappropriate or obscene words and images, predators and violence; and many other posed threats to students. I was happy to have read about the school use of this site Acceptable Use Policy, or AUP, for the Internet which will defuse some of the dangers internet us on students.

In the readings in Dr. Lambert’s class, I found The Online Safety and Technology Working Group to be a helpful tool that was established in pursuant to the "Protecting Children in the 21st Century Act.", to help schools fight some of the discrepancies that might occur while using the internet in the classrooms and such. Federal agencies and other agencies will evaluate industry efforts and make recommendations to promote online safety for children through strong education, labeling, and parental control technology. The Working Group will also evaluate and make recommendations on industry efforts to prevent and respond to criminal activity involving children and the Internet. Recommendations on how to increase online safety measures will be taking.

Now, please note that we need to have very strict rules and guidelines for Social network sites which have brought so much happiness to so many students; it has giving students a place to belong and have reunited a lot of them with families that they could not find. For teens a social network becomes a life saver, you tube’s Friday making a difference: Jamie, a young man that made a connection online with friends to help Rene’. He posted her story on my space, To Write Love On Her Arm, thousand found the site and wrote about their problems and addictions. This network became a representative to so many problem based students. It became connected to a suicide treatment online community; reaching out to communities of learners. Children were forced to go to library and such to tell their stories of recovery or seek help through facebook and many more.

But if present trends continue and teachers and adults fail to wise up, these same networks will continue to be used for unsound and maybe scary ideas for children and others. On Youtube in Dr. Lambert’s second life section, social networks like Facebook and Myspace have; unfortunetly, killed the private life of so many. http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/facebook-can-ruin-your-life-and-so-can-myspace-bebo-780521.html. It is sad to see that people will post just about anything on social networking sites. And the information can be used against them. David Randall and Victoria Richards reported in the readings of Dr. Lambert’s class. Many employers are using the personal information that people are posting to give or take away a job that may change their life.
In conclusion, I do support the use of internet in the classroom; but we truly need to develop and adopt the proper rules and regulations to accompany the teachers’ and adult supervision.