This is one of Vygotsky's first if not his first book. It does offer a nice
contrast; especially sense he was operating in more of a behaviorist
framework. For example he referred to the environment as a stimulus in a
stimulus-response framework. I think its safe to say it was written within
the progressive tradition rather than cultural-historical. I personally
read the book as Vygotsky more in the idealistic of his youth. The
alternative university that he attended was known for its progressive
ideas. My understanding it was more of an attempt to give the best
knowledge of educational practice at the time.
Educational Psychology
by L. S. Vygotsky, V. V. Davydov (Introduction), Robert Silverman
(Translator)
St. Lucie Press
1878205153
Synopsis
Published in English for the first time, this classic work, completed in
1926, is a rare find. Often referenced but rarely seen outside of excerpts
in Russian publication, the well-written and highly opinionated text
presents readers with a historical trek through the mind of one of the
world's most foremost psychological thinkers of the 20th century.
Its $13 at Amazon which may be one of the only places it can be found.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN%3D1878205153/natewebA/002-9377079-49
44828
Nate
----- Original Message -----
From: Gordon Wells <gwells who-is-at oise.utoronto.ca>
To: <xmca who-is-at weber.ucsd.edu>
Sent: Thursday, March 25, 1999 8:49 AM
Subject: Re(2): another side of LSV and Context
> xmca who-is-at weber.ucsd.edu writes:
> >the child teaches himself (...) in educational process, the student's
> >individual experience is everything (...)The educational process must be
> >based on the student's individual activity, and the art of education
> >should involve nothing more than guiding and monitoring this activity
> >(...)KNOWLEDGE THAT IS NOT GAINED THROUGH PERSONAL EXPERIENCE IS NOT
> >KNOWLEDGE AT ALL (...)the teacher is the director of the social
> >enviroment in the classroom, the governor and guide of the interaction
> >between the educational process and the student (...)Education is
> >realized through the student's own experience, which is wholly
> >determined by the environment, and" (Ch. 4, p. 47-50)
>
> Thanks for the fascinating set of quotes from Vygotsky's 'Educational
> Psychology" (btw, could you please provide publication details). The
> emphasis on the primacy of experience is very reminiscent of Dewey. But
> what I find surprising in the above passage is the playing down of the
> role of co-participation in social activity and hence of the contribution
> of others in the zpd. Dewey, too, would place more emphasis on the
> interactional role of the teacher, I think, than is suggested in this
> quote.
>
> >THE ROLE OF THE TEACHER THEN
> >REDUCES TO DIRECTING AND GUIDING THE ENVIRONMENT.
> This sentence sounds more like the child-centred pedagogical approach
> derived from Piaget than the Vygotsky who wrote: "The teacher, working
> with the school child on a given question, explains, informs, inquires,
> corrects, and forces the child himself to explain. All this work on
> concepts, the entire process of their formation, is worked out by the
> child in collaboration with the adult in instruction." (Thinking and
> Speech, pp.215-6, Minick's translation, 1987).
>
> What I find surprising is that the passage quoted came from a text
> explicitly addressed to the practicalities of using psychological
> understandings in educational contexts. It seems almost diametrically
> opposed to the more theoretical account quoted above from Thinking and
> Speech.
>
> Do other share my surprise?
>
> Gordon Wells
> OISE/University of Toronto
>