Re: conflict in the ZPD

Katherine Goff (Katherine_Goff who-is-at ceo.cudenver.edu)
Thu, 9 Oct 1997 11:53:52 -0600

Eugene writes:
>Kathie, I agree with your point, if I understand it correctly, that ZPD
>is
>a two-way road. It is for both the teacher and the student. In my
>view,
>people learn from their experiences that often include other people. It
>does not matter if other people are "more capable" or "less capable" --
>people still learn. I think, to be a good teacher means to learn from
>students how to guide them. And to be a good student means to guide the
>teacher how to help the student's learning.

>What do you think?

I think learning is a complex, dynamic process that is usually
vivisected into sub-systems, organs, tussues, etc. like teacher,
student, skills, objectives, etc. I think the ZPD is a useful
explanatory principle in that it stresses the relationship between the
participants and acknowledges the process involved.

Also, the distinction between learning with animals, music, etc. and
learning with an/other is one I don't think is useful. Learning can
only be observed (and I would say only emerges)through communication,
so it is essentially (in every sense of the word) social. I am working
through George Mead's _Mind, Self, and Society_ to better articulate
this.

Kathie

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Katherine_Goff who-is-at ceo.cudenver.edu
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