Colleagues who have access to the British Journal of Educational Studies
might be interested by an article by Julia Gillen
Julia Gillen (2000) Versions of Vygostky. British Journal of Educational
Studies 48 (2) pp 183 – 198.
The abstract goes:
“The current prominent influence of the theories of L. S. Vygotsky on
studies of education, particularly of pedagogic practice, requires a
re-examination. The dominance of deficient editions of his writing has had
regrettable consequences such as a misplaced reading of the ‘zone of
proximal development’. The publication of his recent, albeit incomplete,
Collected Works in English affords an opportunity to reassess Vygotsky’s
work. Potential areas for such rethinking include: a comparison between his
work and influence with that of Piaget; Vygotsky’s own epistemology and
methodology; and the relevance of his approach to contemporary concerns”.
The last two sentences of the article might whet the appetite:
“If a more questioning approach to existing translations and interpretations
is adopted, then Vygotsky may well be brought off the top-shelf. It is my
belief that his ideas, thrown into the melting-pot then shaken and stirred,
will become hotter and spicier to many, albeit in the meantime rendered
unpalatable to some who prefer their guru sauce bland and conservative”.
Geoff Hayward
Lecturer in Educational Studies and SKOPE Research Fellow
University of Oxford
Department of Educational Studies
15 Norham Gardens
Oxford
OX2 6PY
Phone: 01865 274007
Fax: 01865 274024
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