Lev Semenovich Vygotsky

According to Schunk (2012), Vygotsky was born in Russia during the year of 1869, Vygotsky was known in areas he studied such as Psychology, Philosophy and Literature. Schunk (2012) stated that during the year of 1917, Vygotsky graduated from Moscow Imperial University with a Law Degree and after graduation Vygotsky returned home to Gomel. Schunk (2012) stated that Vygotsky's home Gomel suffered from steaming problems of German occupation, famine and the civil war. Vygotsky taught psychology and literature courses while atemding and working in a teacher training institution. Vygotsky founded a psychology laboratory and wrote an educational psychology book. Schunk (2012) stated Vygotsky died in 1934 from tuberculosis after he contracted the virus from two of his brothers.

Schunk (2012) stated Vygotsky attend the Second All-Russian Congress of Psychoneurology in 1924. Vygotsky presented a speech in which Vygotsky ridiculed Pavlov's studies with dogs and Kohler's studies with apes. Schunk (2012) stated that Vygotsky's beliefs were humans are able to change the environment for the humans benefit but animals can only react to the environment. Most of Vygotsky work was wrote on social mediation. Vygotsky main focus was the idea of humans and the social environment. According to Schunk (2012), Vygotsky was a Marxist and Vygotsky views were strong in social change, dealing with language and development. When the 1917 Russia Revolution was over Vygotsky works were a good fit for the socialist system change.

History of Vygotsky's contributions to Psychology and Learning

Schunk (2012) later noted that Vygotsky was also big on language and children learning through problem solving. Vygotsky's main love was for children that had disabilities both mental and physical. To help with Vygotsky idea Vygotsky came up with the concept of Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD). According to Schunk (2012) the concept of Zone of Proximal Development is defined as the distance between the actual developmental level as determined by independent problem solving and the level of potential development as determined through problem solving under adult guidance or in collaboration with more capable peers.

Ferholt and Lecusay (2010) noted that Vygotsky stated in The Role of Play in Development, only theories which maintain that a child does not have to satisfy the basic requirements of life but can live in search of pleasure could possibly suggest that a child's work is a play world. Kravtsova (2009) noted that Vygotsky said "the relationship between play and development is the relationship between learning and development." The idea behind Vygotsky saying is children learn through play. Ferhold and Lecusay (2010) later noted that ZPD is created through a child's play. Ferhold and Lecusay (2010) noted that Vygotsky argued that there are two paradoxes in play. Ferhold

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