CONSTRUCTIVISM, MENTORING,

and the ZONE of PROXIMAL

DEVELOPMENT
CONSTRUCTIVISM
• Constructivism is a theory about how people learn
• Constructivism says that people construct their own understanding and
knowledge of the world
• In constructivism, learning is a social advancement that involves
language, real world situations, and interaction and collaboration.
• In constructivism, learners are central in the learning process.
Jean Piaget
(1896 -1980)

• Best known for his research on children’s cognitive development.

• Humans learn through the construction of one logical structure after
another.
• Implications and applications shaped the foundation for constructivist
education.
John Dewey
(1850 – 1952)

• Education was to be grouped in real experience.

• Inquiry is the key part of constructivist learning.
Jerome Bruner
(1950 - )

• One of the founding fathers of constructive theory.

• Belief is that learners construct new ideas or concepts based upon
existing knowledge.
• Theories emphasize the significance of categorization in learning.
Lev Vygotsky
(1984 – 1934)

• Introduced the social aspect of learning into constructivism.

• Developed the concept of zone of proximal development (ZPD).
• Places more emphasize on culture affecting/shaping cognitive
development.
• More emphasis is placed on social factors contributing to cognitive
development and on the role of the language in cognitive
development.
TWO VIEWS ON CONSTRUCTIVISM
1. INDIVIDUAL CONSTRUCTIVISM
 Also called cognitive constructivism
 Indirect construction
 Largely based on Piaget’s Theory
 Children-centered and discovery learning

2. SOCIAL CONSTRUCTIVISM
 Based on Vigotsky’s Theory
 Conditions of knowledge is shared by two or more people
Zone of Proximal Development

INDEPENDENTLY
VS.
WITH ASSISTANCE
 Independently
vs.
With assistance

Zone of Proximal Development

Too easy Too hard
No learning
Can Cannot No learning

Lev Vygotsky
Steps of
Sweet spot where Development
instruction is most
beneficial

Next

Scaffolding
ATTENTION DEFICIT HYPERACTIVITY
DISORDER
ATTENTION DEFICIT HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER
(OUTDATED)

Attention Attention INATTENTIVE

Deficit
Deficit
Hyperactivity
Disorder Disorder
HYPERACTIVE/IMPULSIVE

CAN’T FOCUS REALLY CAN’T FOCUS

 DIAGNOSTIC and STATISTICAL MANUAL
for MENTAL DISORDER
 INATTENTIVE – not paying attention.
Symptoms for at least 6 months:
Careless mistakes, not listening, easily distracted, etc.
Started
Between  HYPERACTIVITY/IMPULSIVE – overtly active and impulsive.
6-12 years old Symptoms for at least 6 months:
Fidget, squirm around, get up often, etc.
 BOTH – most common.

CAUSE: Environmental + Genetic Factors

 DIFFERENCES IN PERCEPTIONS: ADHD
VERSUS HIGH ACTIVITY
It is important to note that classrooms are places that make heavy demands on not
showing ADHD-like behaviors: students are often supposed to sit for long periods,
avoid interrupting others, finish tasks after beginning them, and keep their minds (and
materials) organized. Ironically, therefore, classroom life may sometimes aggravate
ADHD without the teacher intending for it to do so. A student with only a mild or
occasional tendency to be restless, for example, may fit in well outdoors playing
soccer, but feel unusually restless indoors during class. It also should not be surprising
that teachers sometimes mistake a student who is merely rather active for a student
with ADHD, since any tendency to be physically active may contribute to problems
with classroom management. The tendency to “over-diagnose” is more likely for boys
than for girls (Maniadaki, et al., 2003)
CAUSES OF ADHD
Research shows that ADHD tends to run in families, with Children ”especially boys” of
parents who had ADHD somewhat more likely than usual to experience the condition
themselves.