Language, Literacy, and Sociocultural Studies ETDs

Publication Date

Summer 7-2017

Abstract

ABSTRACT

Lev Semyonovich Vygotsky, a renowned Russian psychologist, whose immediate family, academic surrounding, and scientific findings are typically scrutinized by scholars of past and present (Feingenberg, 1996, Kotik-Friedgut, 2008, 2011, Kuzmich, 2006, Vygodskaya & Lifanova, 1999, Yasnitsky, 2011, 2012) was the first to emphasize the holistic multidisciplinary approach to child development of pedology (child pedagogy) and distinguish two equally meaningful components of child education: obuchenie (teaching/learning process) and vospitanie (fostering). Even though Vygotskian theories are extensively employed in modern educational practices the intricacy of a complex unity of obuchenie and vospitanie in the process of education was overlooked as both were unified under an overarching English translation of education which distinctly demonstrated the existing issues in academic translation as well as cultural adaptation of the content (Nord, 2005, Smith, 2011, Snell-Hornby, 2000). To elucidate on the under-recognized principle of vospitanie which lies at the essence of Vygotsky’s educational philosophy, the given research delves into the difference between development, education, obuchenie, and vospitanie to rationalize previous confusion as well as to promote acknowledgment of the concepts’ heterogeneity. Additionally, the outlined concepts are central constituents of the Zone of Proximal Development (Mahn, 2000, 2015, Vygotsky, 1987, 1997), therefore, their understanding is critical to comprehensive conceptualization of ZPD.

Furthermore, to acquire a comprehensive perspective of the socio-cultural forces that orchestrated Vygotsky’s own formation through obuchenie and vospitanie, this research intends to examine historical scene of the turn of the XXth century, in other words, to extrapolate Vygotsky’s renowned socio-cultural theory onto his own development.

Keywords

Lev Vygotsky, Biography, History, Obuchenie, Vospitanie, ZPD, ZAD

Document Type

Thesis

Language

English

Degree Name

Language, Literacy and Sociocultural Studies

Level of Degree

Masters

Department Name

Language, Literacy, and Sociocultural Studies

First Committee Member (Chair)

Holbrook Mahn

Second Committee Member

Richard Meyer

Third Committee Member

Carlos Lopez Leiva

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