WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:01.800 Hey, everyone, welcome back to the deep dive. 00:00:02.319 --> 00:00:04.839 We all want to learn and we want to learn fast, 00:00:05.019 --> 00:00:08.119 right? I mean, who has time to wade through a 00:00:08.119 --> 00:00:10.019 ton of extra stuff? Well, you've come to the 00:00:10.019 --> 00:00:12.160 right place. We're all about getting to those 00:00:12.160 --> 00:00:14.720 aha moments, those times when a concept just 00:00:14.720 --> 00:00:16.879 clicks. Absolutely. And today we're going to 00:00:16.879 --> 00:00:20.039 tackle a pretty big one, a concept that really 00:00:20.039 --> 00:00:22.519 underpins a lot of modern education. We're talking 00:00:22.519 --> 00:00:25.460 about Vygotsky's zone of proximal development. 00:00:25.600 --> 00:00:28.600 Ah, the ZPD. I've heard that thrown around quite 00:00:28.600 --> 00:00:30.579 a bit. Never really dug into what it actually 00:00:30.579 --> 00:00:33.020 means, though. Yeah, and really fascinating stuff. 00:00:33.719 --> 00:00:36.100 Vygotsky, you know, was this Russian psychologist, 00:00:36.340 --> 00:00:39.399 worked in the early 1900s, and sadly he died 00:00:39.399 --> 00:00:42.990 really young, only 38. Wow. It's young. Yeah. 00:00:43.390 --> 00:00:45.409 But even in that short time, he had a huge impact 00:00:45.409 --> 00:00:47.950 on educational theory, especially with this idea 00:00:47.950 --> 00:00:50.049 of the ZPD. You see it all the time in those 00:00:50.049 --> 00:00:52.630 constructivist approaches to teaching, you know, 00:00:52.670 --> 00:00:54.869 where the focus is on the student actively building 00:00:54.869 --> 00:00:57.270 their understanding. OK, so where do we even 00:00:57.270 --> 00:00:59.070 start with something like this? It sounds kind 00:00:59.070 --> 00:01:01.950 of like a big abstract idea. Well, it can be, 00:01:02.049 --> 00:01:04.250 but there are ways to visualize it. Yeah. And 00:01:04.250 --> 00:01:06.129 our sources actually use a pretty common analogy. 00:01:06.269 --> 00:01:08.349 Think of a graph. Right. I'm picturing a graph. 00:01:08.750 --> 00:01:11.950 OK, so. On one axis, the vertical one, let's 00:01:11.950 --> 00:01:14.750 say, you've got the difficulty of a skill or 00:01:14.750 --> 00:01:17.189 a concept. So like easy stuff at the bottom and 00:01:17.189 --> 00:01:19.469 then it gets harder as you go up. Exactly. And 00:01:19.469 --> 00:01:21.629 then on the other axis, the horizontal one, you 00:01:21.629 --> 00:01:23.769 have time passing. All right. So we're tracking 00:01:23.769 --> 00:01:25.989 how a skill develops over time. Got it. Right. 00:01:26.269 --> 00:01:28.250 Now, at any given point, we could look at this 00:01:28.250 --> 00:01:31.069 graph and see three different zones in relation 00:01:31.069 --> 00:01:33.269 to what a learner is capable of. OK. So like 00:01:33.269 --> 00:01:35.109 three different areas in the graph. Exactly. 00:01:35.349 --> 00:01:38.030 First, there's the stuff below the ZPD. This 00:01:38.030 --> 00:01:40.180 is what the learner can already do easily. All 00:01:40.180 --> 00:01:42.859 on their own. No help needed. They've mastered 00:01:42.859 --> 00:01:45.599 it. Like riding a bike once you finally got it. 00:01:45.620 --> 00:01:47.219 It's just there. You don't even have to think 00:01:47.219 --> 00:01:50.959 about it. Perfect example. Then, at the opposite 00:01:50.959 --> 00:01:53.599 end, you've got the stuff above the ZPD. This 00:01:53.599 --> 00:01:56.359 is way too hard for the learner right now. Even 00:01:56.359 --> 00:01:58.079 with a lot of support, they just can't get it. 00:01:58.180 --> 00:02:00.620 It's beyond their current capabilities. So like 00:02:00.620 --> 00:02:02.620 trying to do advanced calculus when you're still 00:02:02.620 --> 00:02:04.939 figuring out algebra? Yeah. You're just not there 00:02:04.939 --> 00:02:07.780 yet. But here's the key. The really interesting 00:02:07.780 --> 00:02:11.319 part is that middle ground. The skills and knowledge 00:02:11.319 --> 00:02:13.620 that fall within the zone of proximal development. 00:02:13.759 --> 00:02:16.719 That's the ZPD, right? That sweet spot. That's 00:02:16.719 --> 00:02:19.479 it. This is where the magic happens. These are 00:02:19.479 --> 00:02:21.780 the things a learner can do, but only with some 00:02:21.780 --> 00:02:25.500 help. Okay, so let's zoom in on that ZPD. This 00:02:25.500 --> 00:02:28.360 is where Vygotsky... really gets at the heart 00:02:28.360 --> 00:02:30.819 of learning, right? Absolutely. He's saying that 00:02:30.819 --> 00:02:33.719 this isn't just some random middle zone. It's 00:02:33.719 --> 00:02:36.020 where development actually happens. It's the 00:02:36.020 --> 00:02:38.419 engine of learning. So it's not enough to just 00:02:38.419 --> 00:02:39.800 be able to do something on your own. You need 00:02:39.800 --> 00:02:42.759 to be constantly pushing into that ZPD to actually 00:02:42.759 --> 00:02:45.580 grow. Exactly. And one of the big things that 00:02:45.580 --> 00:02:48.759 Vygotsky emphasizes is the importance of social 00:02:48.759 --> 00:02:51.460 interaction in this zone. So it's not just about 00:02:51.460 --> 00:02:54.879 like a teacher giving a lecture. Right. It's 00:02:54.879 --> 00:02:58.240 much more dynamic than that. The support a learner 00:02:58.240 --> 00:03:00.960 needs to operate in their ZPD can come from all 00:03:00.960 --> 00:03:03.319 sorts of places. It could be discussions with 00:03:03.319 --> 00:03:05.240 classmates, working together to solve problems, 00:03:05.699 --> 00:03:07.759 even just listening to someone else explain something. 00:03:07.860 --> 00:03:10.580 Oh, that's so true. I remember times when I didn't 00:03:10.580 --> 00:03:12.319 even realize I was learning something until I 00:03:12.319 --> 00:03:13.879 heard a friend talking about it, and then it 00:03:13.879 --> 00:03:16.259 suddenly clicked for me. Yeah. And that's the 00:03:16.259 --> 00:03:18.000 beauty of this idea. It's really acknowledging 00:03:18.000 --> 00:03:21.819 that learning is this interactive social process. 00:03:22.879 --> 00:03:25.300 that the right kind of support within that ZPD 00:03:25.300 --> 00:03:27.500 can make a huge difference. And that support 00:03:27.500 --> 00:03:30.680 can come in lots of different forms, right? Our 00:03:30.680 --> 00:03:32.719 sources talk about all kinds of stuff besides 00:03:32.719 --> 00:03:35.099 just people. Things like graphic organizers, 00:03:35.460 --> 00:03:38.060 scaffolds, video tutorials. All of those can 00:03:38.060 --> 00:03:40.659 be incredibly valuable. They're like tools that 00:03:40.659 --> 00:03:43.159 help learners bridge that gap between what they 00:03:43.159 --> 00:03:45.180 can do on their own and what they can do with 00:03:45.180 --> 00:03:47.460 assistance. So it's about providing that extra 00:03:47.460 --> 00:03:50.039 little boost, that extra bit of structure or 00:03:50.039 --> 00:03:52.000 guidance to help them reach that next level. 00:03:52.189 --> 00:03:54.789 Exactly. And it's important to remember that 00:03:54.789 --> 00:03:58.270 this ZPD isn't some fixed thing. It's constantly 00:03:58.270 --> 00:04:01.370 in motion, always changing. Oh, right. Because 00:04:01.370 --> 00:04:04.490 as you learn and develop, what was once challenging 00:04:04.490 --> 00:04:08.129 eventually becomes easier, right? Exactly. So 00:04:08.129 --> 00:04:10.550 things that used to be in your ZPD with enough 00:04:10.550 --> 00:04:13.289 practice and understanding, they move down into 00:04:13.289 --> 00:04:16.089 that zone of stuff you can do independently. 00:04:16.750 --> 00:04:19.029 Like when I was learning to code, Four loops 00:04:19.029 --> 00:04:21.250 totally baffled me at first. Four loops. Yeah, 00:04:21.269 --> 00:04:24.089 those can be tricky. Oh, yeah. But with a few 00:04:24.089 --> 00:04:26.790 online tutorials and some help from a friend, 00:04:27.329 --> 00:04:29.129 they eventually went from being completely over 00:04:29.129 --> 00:04:31.009 my head to something I could manage with a little 00:04:31.009 --> 00:04:34.850 assistance. And now I use them all the time without 00:04:34.850 --> 00:04:36.709 even thinking about it. It's like they became 00:04:36.709 --> 00:04:38.670 part of your mental toolkit. You just grab them 00:04:38.670 --> 00:04:40.709 and use them when you need them. Exactly. And 00:04:40.709 --> 00:04:43.009 that's what we're aiming for, right? To constantly 00:04:43.009 --> 00:04:45.790 expand that realm of things we can do independently. 00:04:45.959 --> 00:04:48.019 Right. And that brings up something really important 00:04:48.019 --> 00:04:49.899 for anyone who's involved in designing learning 00:04:49.899 --> 00:04:52.759 experiences, or even just for anyone who wants 00:04:52.759 --> 00:04:54.779 to be a better learner themselves. And that's 00:04:54.779 --> 00:04:58.639 the idea that ZPDs are individual. Yes. So crucial. 00:04:59.620 --> 00:05:02.800 What might be easy for one person could be super 00:05:02.800 --> 00:05:05.759 challenging for someone else. We all come to 00:05:05.759 --> 00:05:07.779 learning with different backgrounds, different 00:05:07.779 --> 00:05:09.980 strengths, and different things we find tricky. 00:05:10.160 --> 00:05:13.470 Right. and recognizing that is so important because 00:05:13.470 --> 00:05:15.269 it means that a one -size -fits -all approach 00:05:15.269 --> 00:05:18.829 to teaching just doesn't work. We all need different 00:05:18.829 --> 00:05:20.990 kinds of support at different points in our learning 00:05:20.990 --> 00:05:22.769 journey, and that's a good reminder for all of 00:05:22.769 --> 00:05:24.769 us, right? Because we all have those areas where 00:05:24.769 --> 00:05:26.209 we feel like we're struggling, where we could 00:05:26.209 --> 00:05:28.689 use a bit of help, but it's not a sign of weakness. 00:05:28.790 --> 00:05:31.970 It just means we're in that ZPD. We're on the 00:05:31.970 --> 00:05:35.199 verge of learning something new. Exactly. And 00:05:35.199 --> 00:05:37.019 the fact that there are so many different kinds 00:05:37.019 --> 00:05:39.439 of support that can be helpful within the ZPD 00:05:39.439 --> 00:05:42.399 is really encouraging. It means there are a lot 00:05:42.399 --> 00:05:44.720 of options out there, whether it's guidance from 00:05:44.720 --> 00:05:48.040 a teacher, collaboration with peers, or using 00:05:48.040 --> 00:05:50.399 well -designed learning materials. Yeah, there's 00:05:50.399 --> 00:05:53.000 not just one right way to learn. It's about finding 00:05:53.000 --> 00:05:55.579 what works best for you. And that might be different 00:05:55.579 --> 00:05:57.720 depending on the skill or the concept you're 00:05:57.720 --> 00:06:00.740 trying to grasp. Absolutely. And it's also important 00:06:00.740 --> 00:06:03.920 to remember that the ZPD is dynamic, not only 00:06:03.920 --> 00:06:06.240 in terms of what's in it, but also in terms of 00:06:06.240 --> 00:06:08.759 how long things stay there. Right, because even 00:06:08.759 --> 00:06:10.899 once you've mastered something, if you don't 00:06:10.899 --> 00:06:13.879 keep practicing, it can start to fade. It's like, 00:06:13.920 --> 00:06:16.300 you know, when you learn something new in a math 00:06:16.300 --> 00:06:19.639 class, like... how to find the first derivative 00:06:19.639 --> 00:06:22.519 of a function. Yeah, classic example. At first 00:06:22.519 --> 00:06:24.699 it might be in your ZPD. You need some help to 00:06:24.699 --> 00:06:27.180 understand it. But then you practice, you get 00:06:27.180 --> 00:06:29.339 it, and it becomes second nature. But if you 00:06:29.339 --> 00:06:32.480 don't use that skill regularly, it can get rusty. 00:06:32.879 --> 00:06:34.639 You might need to go back and review it. That's 00:06:34.639 --> 00:06:36.740 a great point. It highlights the importance of 00:06:36.740 --> 00:06:39.220 ongoing practice for maintaining those essential 00:06:39.220 --> 00:06:41.019 skills. It's not enough to just learn something 00:06:41.019 --> 00:06:44.040 once. We need to keep those neural pathways firing. 00:06:44.180 --> 00:06:46.220 Right. And it's not just about rote repetition. 00:06:46.430 --> 00:06:49.670 It's about finding ways to apply that knowledge 00:06:49.670 --> 00:06:51.949 in different situations and context. That's how 00:06:51.949 --> 00:06:53.670 you really deepen your understanding and make 00:06:53.670 --> 00:06:55.550 that learning stick. It's like the difference 00:06:55.550 --> 00:06:58.970 between memorizing a formula and actually understanding 00:06:58.970 --> 00:07:01.670 what it means and how to use it to solve problems. 00:07:01.949 --> 00:07:04.009 Yeah, exactly. I remember when I was in grad 00:07:04.009 --> 00:07:05.829 school learning all these statistical concepts. 00:07:05.889 --> 00:07:07.430 I thought I understood them from the lectures, 00:07:07.850 --> 00:07:09.829 but it wasn't until I had to actually use them 00:07:09.829 --> 00:07:12.269 in my own research project with a completely 00:07:12.269 --> 00:07:15.160 different data set. that the learning really 00:07:15.160 --> 00:07:18.019 solidified. Ah, so it's about taking those abstract 00:07:18.019 --> 00:07:21.120 ideas and making them concrete, making them relevant 00:07:21.120 --> 00:07:23.839 to your own experience. Precisely. So to quickly 00:07:23.839 --> 00:07:25.759 sum up what we've learned about Vygotsky's zone 00:07:25.759 --> 00:07:28.319 of proximal development, it's that sweet spot. 00:07:28.480 --> 00:07:31.300 where learning happens, where you can accomplish 00:07:31.300 --> 00:07:33.639 things with the right kind of support that you 00:07:33.639 --> 00:07:36.740 couldn't quite do on your own. It's highly individual, 00:07:37.040 --> 00:07:39.420 meaning what's challenging for one person might 00:07:39.420 --> 00:07:42.220 be a breeze for another, and is constantly changing 00:07:42.220 --> 00:07:44.779 as we learn and develop. Yeah. It's a really 00:07:44.779 --> 00:07:47.399 powerful framework. And this idea of the ZPD 00:07:47.399 --> 00:07:49.899 being dynamic leads to a really interesting thought 00:07:49.899 --> 00:07:52.040 that I think our listeners might want to consider. 00:07:52.329 --> 00:07:54.850 What if we start thinking about our own zones 00:07:54.850 --> 00:07:57.310 of proximal development in all sorts of areas 00:07:57.310 --> 00:08:00.009 of our lives? Ooh, I like that. So not just in 00:08:00.009 --> 00:08:02.430 formal education, but in anything we're trying 00:08:02.430 --> 00:08:05.310 to learn or develop. Whether it's a new skill, 00:08:05.629 --> 00:08:08.649 a hobby, even personal growth. What are those 00:08:08.649 --> 00:08:10.949 areas where we're on the cusp of being able to 00:08:10.949 --> 00:08:13.339 do something new or better? Yeah, those places 00:08:13.339 --> 00:08:16.019 where we could really benefit from some targeted 00:08:16.019 --> 00:08:19.959 support or guidance. Right. Because once we identify 00:08:19.959 --> 00:08:22.139 those zones, we can be more strategic about where 00:08:22.139 --> 00:08:24.720 we direct our efforts. We can seek out the right 00:08:24.720 --> 00:08:27.220 kind of help, whether that's from a mentor, a 00:08:27.220 --> 00:08:30.100 coach, a friend, or even just some well -designed 00:08:30.100 --> 00:08:32.379 resources. It's like a roadmap for personal growth, 00:08:32.460 --> 00:08:35.220 isn't it? Exactly. It's a way to take this really 00:08:35.220 --> 00:08:38.259 powerful concept from educational theory and 00:08:38.259 --> 00:08:40.980 apply it to our own lives. to become more intentional 00:08:40.980 --> 00:08:43.159 about our learning and development in all areas. 00:08:43.360 --> 00:08:45.639 Wow. I love that. And it's such a great reminder 00:08:45.639 --> 00:08:47.620 that learning isn't just something we do in school. 00:08:47.799 --> 00:08:50.399 It's a lifelong process. And there are always 00:08:50.399 --> 00:08:53.480 new ZPDs waiting to be explored. Thanks for diving 00:08:53.480 --> 00:08:56.100 into this fascinating topic with us today. It's 00:08:56.100 --> 00:08:58.840 been a pleasure. And until next time, keep exploring 00:08:58.840 --> 00:08:59.899 and keep learning.