CURRICULUM STUDIES
CUS3701
YEAR MODULE
ASSIGNMENT 3
, Question 1
1.1 A socio-constructivist’s (Vygotsky) view of the impact of context on
curriculum implementation. (7) Do you agree with his view? (1) Motivate
your answer. (2)
Lev Vygotsky argued for a socio-constructivist perspective in education, he
believed that the process of development is dependent on social interaction,
and that social learning actually leads to cognitive
development. Traditionally, schools have not promoted environments in which
learners play an active role in their own education as well as that of their
peers. Vygotsky’s theory, however, requires teachers and learners to play
non-traditional roles as they collaborate with each other, because both are
influenced by the contexts in which they live, teach and learn. Instead of
teachers dictating meaning to learners for future recitation, they should
collaborate with learners in order to create
meaning in ways that learners can make their own. Learning becomes a
reciprocal experience for both learners and teachers. This means that a
teacher cannot ignore context in the teaching and learning environment.
According to Vygotsky’s theory, the physical classroom should provide
clustered desks or tables and workspaces for peer learning, collaboration, and
small-group learning. Like the environment, the
learning material should be structured to promote and encourage learner
interaction and collaboration. Thus, a classroom becomes a community of
learning. Because Vygotsky asserts that cognitive change occurs within the
zone of proximal development, instruction should be designed to reach a
developmental level that is just above the learner’s current level
developmental level. Vygotsky argues that the overall development of the
child and a new stage of the development
process should be kept in mind when learning is planned.
Appropriation is necessary for cognitive development within the zone of
proximal development. Individuals participating in peer collaboration or guided
teaching must share the same focus in order to access the zone of proximal
development. Furthermore, it is essential that the “partners” in the educational
environment be on different developmental levels, and that the higher-level
partner be aware of the lower partner’s level. If this does not occur, or if one
partner dominates, the interaction is less successful. This is why joint
attention and a common understanding of the problem-solving
process are needed to create a cognitive, social, and emotional interchange
between the “partners” in the educational environment. This requires the
teacher to have a good understanding of contextual
influences in terms of planning, instructional design, and assessment in the
teaching-learning environment.
In his point of view, I do not have to agree or do everything Vygotsky
advocates. However, this theory is important for teaching in South Africa.
According to Vygotsky, social learning leads to cognitive development; he
CUS3701
YEAR MODULE
ASSIGNMENT 3
, Question 1
1.1 A socio-constructivist’s (Vygotsky) view of the impact of context on
curriculum implementation. (7) Do you agree with his view? (1) Motivate
your answer. (2)
Lev Vygotsky argued for a socio-constructivist perspective in education, he
believed that the process of development is dependent on social interaction,
and that social learning actually leads to cognitive
development. Traditionally, schools have not promoted environments in which
learners play an active role in their own education as well as that of their
peers. Vygotsky’s theory, however, requires teachers and learners to play
non-traditional roles as they collaborate with each other, because both are
influenced by the contexts in which they live, teach and learn. Instead of
teachers dictating meaning to learners for future recitation, they should
collaborate with learners in order to create
meaning in ways that learners can make their own. Learning becomes a
reciprocal experience for both learners and teachers. This means that a
teacher cannot ignore context in the teaching and learning environment.
According to Vygotsky’s theory, the physical classroom should provide
clustered desks or tables and workspaces for peer learning, collaboration, and
small-group learning. Like the environment, the
learning material should be structured to promote and encourage learner
interaction and collaboration. Thus, a classroom becomes a community of
learning. Because Vygotsky asserts that cognitive change occurs within the
zone of proximal development, instruction should be designed to reach a
developmental level that is just above the learner’s current level
developmental level. Vygotsky argues that the overall development of the
child and a new stage of the development
process should be kept in mind when learning is planned.
Appropriation is necessary for cognitive development within the zone of
proximal development. Individuals participating in peer collaboration or guided
teaching must share the same focus in order to access the zone of proximal
development. Furthermore, it is essential that the “partners” in the educational
environment be on different developmental levels, and that the higher-level
partner be aware of the lower partner’s level. If this does not occur, or if one
partner dominates, the interaction is less successful. This is why joint
attention and a common understanding of the problem-solving
process are needed to create a cognitive, social, and emotional interchange
between the “partners” in the educational environment. This requires the
teacher to have a good understanding of contextual
influences in terms of planning, instructional design, and assessment in the
teaching-learning environment.
In his point of view, I do not have to agree or do everything Vygotsky
advocates. However, this theory is important for teaching in South Africa.
According to Vygotsky, social learning leads to cognitive development; he
