In 1962 Lev Vygotsky presented a theory on Social Development and the Zone of Proximal Learning. Vygotsky’s learning theory was built off the removal of instructional rigidity and a role reversal of teachers and students. It would encourage learning frameworks in which students play an active role in their learning through collaboration. Research has shown that educators who incorporate and expand upon Vygotsky’s Learning Theory; The Theory of The Zone of Proximal Development or Scaffold Learning, along with Goal Setting Templates, educators will be successful in creating a learning environment that creates powerful strategies to empower students and instill a belief in their own abilities.
My AP World students tend to struggle with writing the essays and getting all the points on the rubric. My idea from this theory is to have them set goals for each rubric point, allowing them to focus on one aspect of the time and therefore allowing them to use a step-by-step process similar to the goal-setting template seen on page 22 (Goodwin & Hubbell, 2013). I think that by giving them the focus in chunks (“I got thesis creation down. Now I can work on concrete details…”) they will gain confidence in their writing and feel empowered to continue growing at their own pace. Breaking down these essays into more manageable components will make it so much easier for them once they realize every essay is graded the same and that the only thing that changes is the historical thinking skill.
My AP World students tend to struggle with writing the essays and getting all the points on the rubric. My idea from this theory is to have them set goals for each rubric point, allowing them to focus on one aspect of the time and therefore allowing them to use a step-by-step process similar to the goal-setting template seen on page 22 (Goodwin & Hubbell, 2013). I think that by giving them the focus in chunks (“I got thesis creation down. Now I can work on concrete details…”) they will gain confidence in their writing and feel empowered to continue growing at their own pace. Breaking down these essays into more manageable components will make it so much easier for them once they realize every essay is graded the same and that the only thing that changes is the historical thinking skill.
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Here are some resources for having students set personal learning goals:
EdTech Central-Student Goal Setting
Deeper Learning Through Personalized Learning Plans
EdTech Central-Student Goal Setting
Deeper Learning Through Personalized Learning Plans