Teaching and learning in the South Pacific: A Vygotskian classroom?

Abstract

Vygotsky's (1978) sociocultural theory of cognitive development indicates children learn from others, either with adult assistance or with the help of a more competent peer. In contemporary societies, the Vygotskian framework has contributed immensely to the development of curricula and different teaching pedagogies among educational theorists and educators (Jaramillo, 1996). More importantly, perhaps, Vygotsky's sociocultural theory has influenced the development and emergence of the constructivist movement in education and other professional fields of development (Gindis, 1999; Jaramillo, 1996). Furthermore, the uniqueness of this theory pertains to Vygotsky's identification of the relationship between an individual's internalisation and the sociocultural processes that take place in society.