Re: http://www.inthesetimes.com/site/main/cartoons/

[willthereallsvpleasespeakup@nateweb.info]

Michael,

The project is actually an exploration of the ZPD  which takes a 
critical look at how the concept is used in America, in particular.

I would say my frame of reference would be Seth Chaiklin's ( 
http://nateweb.info/vygotsky/seth.htm) work on the ZPD, and Vygotsky's 
own work on child development. It would see the "social situation of 
development" as essential in awakening future development.  I would say 
Vygotsky took an explanatory rather than simply descriptive approach to 
child development.





Nate,

> This is an interesting site, and definitely represents a discussion that needs to come to the forefront.  I was especially interested in this because it relates to the back and forth I had with Grendler and Shields.
>
> Here's the question I have for you which I don't get from a (cursory) reading of your blog (I love blogs).  What is your frame of reference for discussing development?  The concept of development is critical to your argument, but then what exactly is it you are saying about this?  Are you saying that development is basically self-action?  That is that development emerges from the individual organism?  (see my response to Gredler and Shields for a quickie description of self-action, interaction, and transaction).  If so, then are you saying that Vygotsky's theory was basically coming from a self-action persepctive (the same rhetorical question I put to Gredler and Shields).  Because honeslty I just don't believe this fits in with the rest of Vygotsky's work, or where he wanted to go with his theory.  I don't think it works to say that he was trying to merge self-action with interaction and/or transaction - see Stephen Pepper for an extended discussion of why this merging of worldviews in a single theoretical perspective doesn't really work.
>
> Anyway, that's my question.
>
> Michael
>
> ________________________________
>
> From: willthereallsvpleasespeakup@nateweb.info [mailto:willthereallsvpleasespeakup@nateweb.info]
> Sent: Sun 11/14/2004 10:39 AM
> To: xmca@weber.ucsd.edu
> Subject: http://www.inthesetimes.com/site/main/cartoons/
>
>
>
>
> --
> Website: http://nateweb.info/
> Blog: http://levvygotsky.blogspot.com/
> Email: willthereallsvpleasespeakup@nateweb.info
>
> "The zone of proximal development defines those functions that have not yet matured but are in the process of maturation, functions that will mature tomorrow but are currently in an embryonic state. These functions could be termed the buds or flowers of development rather than
> the "fruits" of development. The actual developmental level characterizes mental development retrospectively, while the zone of proximal development characterizes mental development prospectively."
> - L.S.V.
>
>
>
>
>  


--
Website: http://nateweb.info/
Blog: http://levvygotsky.blogspot.com/
Email: willthereallsvpleasespeakup@nateweb.info

"The zone of proximal development defines those functions that have not yet matured but are in the process of maturation, functions that will mature tomorrow but are currently in an embryonic state. These functions could be termed the buds or flowers of development rather than
the "fruits" of development. The actual developmental level characterizes mental development retrospectively, while the zone of proximal development characterizes mental development prospectively."
- L.S.V.