Zone+of+Proximal+Development

"The region of activity that learners can navigate with aid from a supporting context, including but not limited to people (Vygotsky, 1978)."

//Distributed Expertise in the Classroom// (Brown, Ash, Rutherford, Nakagawa, Gordon, Campione, 1993)

The difference between what a student can do independently and with the assistance of an adult or a more-able peer. Sometimes referred to as the zone of potential development, as proximal may assume that development is imminent. Working within a student's ZPD is intended to promote development.

Each student will have their own ZPD. It can be thought of as the limitations of the amount a student can learn. The bottom bar is the ability of the student prior to instruction, and the top bar is the students ability after instruction. If lessons are not planned within the ZPD of students, it could lead to the students either being bored by the simplicity of the assignments or if the challenge is considered out of reach it would lowers the students self efficacy.