Vygotsky Podcast

Nikolai Veresov argues that Vygotsky's subject matter required a special methodology for analysis -- and that the subject matter, theory, and  methods must all be aligned.  (Originally published September 11, 2020)

Excerpted from "Cultural-historical genetic research methodology-Part 1  by Nikolai Veresov" http://tiny.cc/9g2usz  

cf. http://tiny.cc/bg2usz "Advice for publishing social science  research"

This is a classroom lesson, repurposed for online "distance learning,"  and based in part of the following quotation: 

"Word meaning is a phenomenon of verbal thought, or of the meaningful  word. It is a unity of word and thought. No further evidence is needed  to support this basic thesis. Our experimental studies have consistently  supported and justified it. They have shown that by taking word meaning  as a unit of verbal thinking we create the potential for investigating  its development and explaining its most important characteristics at the  various developmental stages. The primary result of this work, however,  is not this thesis itself but a subsequent conclusion that constitutes  the conceptual center of our investigation, that is, the finding that  word meaning develops. The discovery that word meaning changes and  develops is our new and fundamental contribution to the theory of  thinking and speech. It is our major discovery, a discovery that has  allowed us to overcome the postulate of constancy and unchangableness of  word meaning which has provided the foundation for previous theories of  thinking and speech."  L. S. Vygotsky (1934/1987) Thinking and Speech,  Chapter 7, p. 245  

(Originally published September 12, 2020)

Lesson summary and links: http://tiny.cc/zu4usz 

Closing song: "Ethereal" (2017) by Hunter Myers (grade 8 at the time)

David Kellogg characterizes Vygotsky's teaching and thinking, and also  explains why Vygotsky will keep us busy for another 100 years.  (Originally published September 20, 2020)

Full chat here: http://tiny.cc/j60usz

David Kellogg cites language as the interface between individual and  environment, and the development of word meaning as the prime builder of  memory.  (Originally published September 10, 2020)

Full chat here: http://tiny.cc/j60usz

David Kellogg finds Vygotsky in an interesting national curriculum.  

Full chat here: http://tiny.cc/j60usz

From a pedological lens, David Kellogg suggests that there's a time and  place for progressive, child-centered teaching -- under special  conditions, and certainly not as a matter of course. (Originally published September 10, 2020)

Full chat here: http://tiny.cc/j60usz

In this teaching-centric conversation, David Kellogg shares an interesting perspective on pedagogical (and pedological) Vygotsky.  (Originally published September 9, 2020)

Highlights include: 

0:46 - Pedology vs. pedagogy  

5:24 - Vygotsky's long life after death . . . and some Breaking News 

10:02 - The important of "interests" for concept development 

11:48 - Hats David has worn (continuing the point on "interests") 

16:38 - Challenging children & zones of actual vs next development 

18:35 - Can memory be developed late, and if so, how? 

24:00 - Types of games (R. Caillois) and the importance of semantic memory  

26:50 - The importance of language & the (in)appropriateness of progressive teaching 

30:11 - An elaboration of Vygotsky's law of four stages (cf. http://tiny.cc/e8vtsz) 

35:10 - A developmental educational framework David likes -- and his Vygotskian spin on it 

42:25 - Semantic memory and "Conversation as the great chain-complex of child development"  

44:04 - Some of teaching suggestions Anthony appreciated (original: https://bit.ly/33dAoGz) 

49:43 - Vygotsky's partial critique of "Thinking and Speech: Chapter 5" 

57:55 - What is semantic memory (and semantic meaning)? 

1:04:53 - An engaging teaching demo aimed toward semantic meaning development 

1:09:01 - Why David thinks Language trumps Activity 

1:14:32 - Vygotsky as teacher and pedagogical philosopher

Three follow-up questions - on the idea of 'unit of analysis' - after a recent chat with Andy Blunden. (Originally published September 5, 2020)

The recent chat referenced is here: http://tiny.cc/uzvssz

Vygotsky is a nice common interest.  As caricatures, Andy and I should hate each other; as individuals, not so much. (Originally published September 4, 2020)

Full chat here: http://tiny.cc/iptssz

Andy Blunden reflects - personally and generally - on the role of dramatic experiences on personality development.  (Originally published September 4, 2020)

Full chat here: http://tiny.cc/iptssz