1. Socio-cultural Theory: A Short Primer Professor Gary Moorman Appalachian State University

2. Social Constructivisim  Knowledge is socially constructed  All knowledge has a cultural history  Cultural knowledge is transformed into personal knowledge through social activity  Human nature is a cultural product

3. Learning  Learning is always a social process  Learning is a product of participation in various communities  Through participation, knowledge is both learned and acquired

4. Lev Vygotsky’s Social Learning Theory  All higher order cognitive processing emerges from social activity  Intellectual functioning/problem solving always appears twice:  First, at a social, external level  Then, at a personal, internal level

5. Vygotsky (con’t)  Language is the “tool of tools”  Language forms the basis of intellectual growth  First, as a social communicative tool  Then, as a psychological, metacognitive tool

6. Zone of Proximal Development “The zone of proximal development…is the distance between the actual developmental level as determined by independent problem solving and the level of potential development as determined through problem solving under adult guidance or in collaboration with more capable peers.” L. Vygotsky

7. Stages in the ZPD  Stage 1: Understanding is so limited communication is difficult  Stage 2: Emerging understanding as child links language to task  Stage 3: Full participation in communication marked by the ability to follow directives of adults  Stage 4: Maturity; child becomes self-regulated

8. Tools “Tools are to cultural evolution as genes are to biological evolution” Blanton & Thompson  Primary and secondary tools  Everyday and scientific knowledge