From: Eugene Matusov
Submit: Post Comments
VisitDate: 00/00/96
Date: 19 Oct 1996
Time: 15:30:12
Remote Name: pax-ca4-08.ix.netcom.com
Hi Jakob--
You wrote, "this game seemed to be clearly out of her "zone of proximal development" I was convinced, she could master it, but she made only very little progress. "
I'm glad that you try to draw a theoretical concept from the readings in your fieldnote reflection. The zone of proximal development (ZPD or Zoped -- widespread abbriviation in the literature) is a concept developed by Russian psychologist Lev Vygotsky in early 30s to argue against usage of IQ tests in education (we'll read Vygotsky's chapter on this topic). ZPD means what a person can do together with more knowledgeable partner(s). In a way ZPD is never individual property because it involves other people.
So when you say, this game seemed to be clearly out of Norma's zone of proximal development, it means Norma's ZPD with you. You can't generalize that with somebody else Norma's couldn't grasp the game, right?
Also it is interesting to explore, what kind of Norma's ZPD occurred while she was working with you by focusing on what she learned (rather on what she didn't learn). What do you think?
Eugene