Vygotsky's Theory of Learning

Lev Vygotsky saw the construction of knowledge as significantly influenced by social interactions and the environment in which they take place.

He used the term 'Zone of Proximal Development' (ZPD), in which a learner can successfully undertake their own learning (through independent learning) and a point where guidance from a teacher can benefit their learning process.

The extent of the zone is the difference in what can be achieved between independent learning and supplementary guidance to learning.

Once a learning outcome has been achieved this is then built-on for additional, new, learning, which was a concept that was developed further by others, for example, such as Bruner's Spiral Continuum.

Judging a learner's ZPD can be challenging for a teacher.

Ensuring the motivation and thirst for independent learning is maintained, yet not overwhelmed by frustration from any continual lack of achievement of understanding, can be finely balanced with not providing adequate guidance to aid the learning process, to providing excessive guidance which can dull (for example, through spoon feeding) the learning process.