Two fundamental concepts in education are scaffolding (developed by Jerome Bruner) and the Zone of Proximal Development (developed by Leo Vygotsky). The Zone of Proximal Development is, as the name suggests, an intangible zone where learners can gain new knowledge on their own by tapping into previous knowledge. Scaffolding is a teaching technique that allows all learners, regardless of previous knowledge, to be able to enter into the Zone of Proximal Development. As I work with IT staff and managers to train them on the use of our software tool, TransitionManager, it’s fun to see their excitement as they navigate through task-driven lab exercises and hang out in the Zone of Proximal Development.
