Introduction
The major theme of Vygotsky’s theoretical framework is that social interaction plays fundamental role in the development of cognition. Vygotsky (1978), he primarily explains that socialization affects the learning process in an individual. It tries to explain consciousness or awareness as a result of socialization.
Therefore, social development theory refers to the learning through interaction with community. Also Vygotsky argued that “learning is a necessary and universal aspect of the process of developing culturally, organized, specifically human psychological function” (ibid).
Historically, Vygotsky’s social development theory is the work of Russian psychologist Levy Vygotsky (1896 -1934) who lived during Russian revolution. Vygotsky is one of the founders of constructivism. It was introduced in 1920’s by Levy Vygotsky whose theory was according to some of the origin of social constructivism. This theory sometimes is called cultural history theory which gives framework for cognitive development in children and argues that the key role in cognition development lies in social interaction.
Furthermore Levy Vygotsky believed that biological and cultural development does not occur in isolation (Driscoll, 1994).
Task
Social development theory (Levy Vygotsky)?
Process
Social development theory was originated by Vygotsky and Jean- Piaget. Vygotsky developed a social cultural approach to cognitive development. He developed his theories at around the same time as Jean- Piaget was starting to develop his ideas (1920’s and 1930’s) but he died at the age of 38 and so his theories are incomplete.
The key principles as explained by Levy Vygotsky on his social development theory are as follows:-
First, More Knowledgeable Other. The more knowledgeable other (MKO) is somewhat self-explanatory; it refers to someone who has a better understanding or a higher ability level than the learner, with respect to a particular task, process, or concept. Although the implication is that the MKO is a teacher or an older adult, this is not necessarily the case. Many times, a child's peers or an adult's children may be the individuals with more knowledge or experience. For instance an individual who is more likely to know more about the newest teenage music groups, how to win at
the most recent PlayStation game, or how to correctly perform the newest dance craze a child or their parents? In fact, the MKO need not be a person at all. Some companies, to support employees in their learning process, are now using electronic performance support systems. Electronic tutors have also been used in educational settings to facilitate and guide students through the learning process. The key to MKOs is that they must have (or be programmed with) more knowledge about the topic being learned than the learner does.
Second, the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD). This is an important concept that relates to the difference between what a learner can achieve independently and what a learner can achieve with guidance and encouragement from a skilled partner.
For example, the learner could not solve the jigsaw puzzle by himself or herself and would have taken a long time to do so but was able to solve it following interaction with an instructor, and has developed competence at this skill that will be applied to future jigsaws.
Vygotsky (1978) sees the Zone of Proximal Development as the area where the most sensitive instruction or guidance should be given allowing the learner to develop skills they will then use on their own developing higher mental functions.
Vygotsky also views interaction with peers as an effective way of developing skills and strategies. He suggests that teachers use cooperative learning exercises where less competent learners develop with a help from more skillful peers within the zone of proximal development.
Third, role of social interaction in cognitive development. This mainly asserts that social interaction has a vital role in the cognitive development process. Vygotsky states that the cultural development of a learner is firstly on the social level called interpsychological and secondly on individual or person level called intrapsychological.
The implications of social development theory as cited by various authors are as follows:-
Vygotsky theory of social development on the concept of zonal of proximal development is based on idea that development is defined on both what learner can do independently and what the learners can do when assisted by facilitator or more competent peer (Vygotsky, 1978).
Also according to Vygotsky for curriculum to be developmentally appropriate, the teacher must plan activities that encompass not only what a learner is capable of doing on their own but what they can learn with the help of others. (ibid)
The theory explains that anything cannot be taught to any learner, only instructions and activities that follow within the zone promote development, for instance if a learner cannot identify the sound in word even after many prompts, the learner may not immediately from instruction in this scales.(Biggs & Moore, 1993).
The social development theory as narrated or explained by Vygotsky has been effected with ICT in classroom arena as follows:-
First, in technology social development theory can be used to facilitate learning within zonal of proximal development (ZPD). The notion of ZPD also suggest that effective teaching should not only be within the proximal potential of the individual, but should perhaps be at the upper level of the ZPD so as to maintain student interest in the activity.
Secondly, online activities and projects can encourage the co-operation of students even when not in the classroom. Through different sources of material from various online services such as internet student can learn even in absence of facilitator and become competent on content covered.
Thirdly, teachers can use videos and interactive worksheets to engage their students and assist them through scaffolding. In a specific, scaffolding may range from very detailed and explicit tuition, such as the explanation of procedures and demonstrations, to the facilitation of activities for students self-tuition. Scaffolding has also been interpreted as mechanism by which sequential ZPD’s are used to achieve a learning outcome beyond a student’s immediate potential, and thus specific learning activities change as the student competence towards ultimate task grows(ibid).
Fourthly, technology provides internets, library, databases and chartrooms, with technology resources, students will be able to use an endless amount of resources by being able to share information’s and provide classroom opinion.
Conclusion
Fifthly, with the help of ICT, each group of students would be required to use the teacher and trusted websites for expert support, the teacher would be hands on, helping students to grasp the concepts of themes woven throughout a narrative, utilizing, example handouts and practical.