Cultural-historical theory by Lev S. Vygotsky: strategies of studies on children's learning and development. From theory to change in practice

Abstract

Lev S. Vygotsky’s cultural-historical theory of development did not only affect, in a special way, the understanding of cognitive development of an individual but it also introduced new procedures in research methodology. Procedures that allow one to uncover the potential of development residing in the maturing way of child functioning, in observing his forms of activities and engaged participation in task solution. An original “theory-method” by Vygotsky and methodological procedures connected with it – teaching experiment, genetic experiment - were applied to a research project run in the Department of Didactics and Culture of Education Studies (Developing teaching in early childhood education in line with Lev S. Vygotsky’s concepts - ACK, Narrative environment of play and learning - NEPL ). In the paper I shall focus on three problematic issues: (1) understanding of the development process and learning by Lev S. Vygotsky and under the cultural-historical approach; (2) presentation of original strategies of research on development and learning – design experiment, (3) application of these research procedures in projects recently run in the Laboratory of Educational Change – Centre for Studies on Development and Learning, a unit created at the Department of Didactics and Culture of Education of Kazimierz Wielki University in Bydgoszcz.