Human Growth and development - Essay Example

[Your full July 03, Vygotsky Vygotsky stressed upon the fact that social interaction affects aperson’s cognitive development. In the field of education, Vygotsky’s theory of cognitive development has been extensively used in the modification of the learning process in schools all over the world. “His theory makes us aware of our vision of students, for example, children defined by their age and IQ versus culturally and socially situated learners”, asserts Kozulin (2). Vygotsky’s socio-cultural theory strengthens its roots in classrooms where more than one cultures are present.

In mono-cultural classrooms, this theory is often ignored but when students have to interact with other students belonging to other cultures in the same classroom, then the acquiring of learning where cultures are preserved at the same time becomes extremely important. Bringing different social groups belonging to different ethnic background under one single educational focus is something supported by Vygotsky’s theory. Students learn to interact with different cultures and this adds to their cognitive development which would never have occurred in a mono-cultural classroom.

Also, the collaborative work environment within the classrooms has many social effects which facilitate the students’ learning process and aids in their cognitive development. The teachers and more capable peers also aid in placing the student’s learning into the zone of proximal development or expanding it through scaffolding since it helps the learner to solve tasks in less time with assisted learning. Today’s educational system can also be facilitated through the use of technology and enhanced scaffolding techniques which reduces the need for assisted learning.

Works Cited Kozulin, Alex. Vygotsky’s Educational Theory in Cultural Context. UK: Cambridge University Press, 2003.