This paper discusses the relationship between Lev Vygotsky's zone of proximal development and cooperative learning. Vygotsky (1896-1934), a Russian psychologist, formulated a theory that children first develop lower mental functions such as simple perceptions, associative learning, and involuntary attention; then, through social interactions with more advanced peers and adults, they eventually ...

In recent years, there have been many and varied successful applications of the Vygotskian concept of the zone of proximal development (ZPD) to the area of literacy learning (e.g., Burkhalter, 1995; Combs, 1996; Steward, 1996). These applications, often developed as instructional programs, generally demonstrate the viability of providing children support within their ZPD and describe various wa...

In this paper, we propose a computational approach to modeling the Zone of Proximal Development of students who learn using a natural-language tutoring system for physics. We employ a student model to predict students’ performance based on their prior knowledge and activity when using a dialogue tutor to practice with conceptual, reflection questions about high-school level physics. Furthermore...

The notion of zone of proximal development has come to be used widely to theorize learning and learning opportunities. Unfortunately, following a simplified reading of its original definition and primary sense in the quote that opens this text, the concept tends to be thought of in terms of the opposition of individuals. One of these individuals, a teacher or peer, is more capable than another ...

The term zone of proximal development is probably one of the most widely recognized and wellknown ideas associated with Vygotsky’s scientific legacy. This famous concept is more precise and elaborated than its common reception or interpretation (Chaiklin, 2003, p. 39). It could be viewed in a narrow context, i.e. within the concrete problem of relations between learning and development. But to ...