CONTEXTUALISING - SCAFFOLDING RESEARCH IN PRACTICE
How scaffolding helps learners step up so they can eventually stand alone
Scaffolding is one way of supporting learners through the steps they need to take to expand and enhance their knowledge. Dr Elizabeth Newton explains what lies behind the theory and how to use it in practice.
Scaffolding is a process that consists of giving learners a framework for learning until they are able to complete a learning activity independently. The notion of scaffolding in education was influenced by the work of Lev Vygotsky (1896-1934), a Russian psychologist. The term was not his, however, but was introduced by Wood, Bruner and Ross (1976), who subsequently developed Vygotsky’s work. Vygotsky (1978) advanced the notion of the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD), which describes an area of potential competence,
just beyond a student’s current level of knowledge and ability. The capabilities and knowledge within this zone are achievable by a student if they receive appropriate support and strategies from an instructor. Efficient and effective learning is planned and structured so that it falls within an individual’s ZPD, to ensure that it is achievable. The student should not be under-challenged by a learning activity, nor should it be beyond their ZPD, as this would risk them feeling frustrated and, potentially, lead to disengagement from learning.
THE MORE
KNOWLEDGEABLE OTHER (MKO) For Vygotsky, learning occurs most effectively within a social context; that is, when the student is interacting with others. The person guiding the student through their ZPD is known as the More Knowledgeable Other (MKO). The MKO will typically be a parent or teacher, but could also be a peer who has greater knowledge or skill than the individual receiving instruction. For Vygotsky, scaffolding may be
brought about by co-operative and collaborative dialogue, in line with his socio-constructivist view of learning. Vygotsky holds that learning is grounded in a social context and requires
REFERENCES
• Vygotsky, L. S. in Cole, M. et al. (Eds.) (1978) Mind in Society: The development of higher psychological processes, Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
• Wood, D., Bruner, J. and Ross, G. (1976) The role of tutoring in problem solving, The Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 17(2), 89-100.
16 ISSUE 37 • AUTUMN 2019 inTUITION
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