This study is based on the effects of Zone of Proximal Development and scaffolding theory of social constructivist, Russian psychologist Vygotsky. He insisted that a social interaction plays a fundamental role in the development of cognition. This study is to examine the efficient of the scaffolding types in Math class.
The Zone of Proximal Development(ZPD) is the distance between a student’s ability to perform a task under adult guidances or with peer collaboration and the student’s ability solving the problem independently. According to Vygotsky, learning occurred in this zone. The more knowledgeable other refers to anyone who has a better understanding or a higher ability level than the learner, with respect to a particular task, process, or concept. The helper is normally thought of a being a teacher, parents and competent peers.
The word ‘scaffolding’ is used metaphorically to explain the efficient interaction between adults and children in teaching and learning in ZPD.
To conduct the research was grouped into an experimental first grader five students in H high school in Y county. The teaching procedure was used 5 Macro-scaffolding types and 9 Micro-scaffolding types from the pilot study and made out teaching plan. After class, students were questioned through Semi-structured interviews. The results of this study are below.
First, Students were satisfied with the class mixed micro-scaffolding types and Macro-scaffolding types and improved their math thinking ability and the ways of solving problems.
Second, The results of the class showed that students’ ability to perform a task was transferred to the higher level through the help of a teacher or peers. Students could have more time to listen to peers’ opinions and to say their own thoughts freely than they were under the lecture method instruction.
Third, Students were interested in math through the experimental class. That’s because the appropriate help of the scaffolding type, a cooperate study, relative with real life, using an engineering tools. They made a change of perception.
As a result, The class applied The Zone of Proximal Development makes the student understand math easier and can solve the problems by coworking with teacher and peers better than previous class.
Also it is very positive in affective aspects in mathematics.
This study can be a little problems to generalize to all students for few students and three units process in math of the first-grade high school. But this study suggests that the classes of the various scaffolding types should be recommanded in the classroom. More studies on the various scaffolding types’ teaching should be accompanied.