comps reading - Higher Level of Agency for Children in Knowledge Building: A Chellenge for the Design of New Knowledge Media

Written by Marlene Scardamalia and Carl Bereiter, though there's no ZPD mentioned in the title, this paper does talk about Vygotsky's theory and ZPD (Zone of Proximal Development). ZPD is not exclusive to children's learning, that is, both adults and children have ZPD where more knowledgeable others play essential role. However, according to our authors, there is a difference in executive control that is most salient in question-answer dialogue.

"Adults learners typically ask questions based on their perceived knowledge needs, whereas with school children, questions are typically asked by the teacher, based on the teachers' perception of the children's needs"

In the paper, the authors, based on evidence that children can produce and recognize educationally productive questions and can adapt them to their knowledge needs, introduced CSILE (Computer Supported Intentional Learning Environments), a computer supported knowledge medium that aims to design environments for students to use questions to guide their learning, so that they can higher their level of agency in learning.

CSILE is a networked system that gives students simultaneous access to a database that is composed of text and graphical notes that the students produce themselves and a means of searching and commenting on one another's contributions. Three models of teaching are described:

1. task model: student as doer or worker, students as the agent
2. knowledge-based model: Vygotsky's thinking
3. similar to knowledge-based model, with more emphasis on students to take over: both LOGO and CSILE employ this model; more of Piaget's thinking

The authors asked a key question: who is in charge of the zone of proximal development? To answer this question, we first need to know "what gos on in the ZPD." Two kinds of development need to be taken into account:

1. growth in the competencies directly involved in the activity
2. growth toward children's takeover of executive functions

As to who is in charge of ZPD, generally there are three different viewpoints: 1) mutual takeover; 2) learner takeover; and 3) more capable peers takeover. CSILE not only aims to scaffold learners to acquire the executive control in ZPD but also to achieve the goal of knowledge transforming, instead of mere knowledge telling.

Followed by the theoretical explanation, the authors introduced CSILE as to the interface and how to use it. To address whether or not children ask educationally productive questions in CSILE, the authors analyzed questions, be it their representation formats or questions type. In general, text-based questions facilitate bottom-up process, while knowledge-based questions help top-down process. Questions can also be categorized to basic info questions (uneducated guessing) and wonderment questions. Basic questions such as what are fossil fuels have a text-based quality and get quite directly at the kinds of information normally conveyed in basic text-based or encyclopedia treatments of a topic. Uneducated guessing questions are usually yes-no questions that have similar motivation to obtain basic orienting information, except that they take the form if shots in the dark at possible answers. As for wonderment questions, they reflect curiosity, puzzlement, skepticism, or a knowledge-based speculation, in contrast to a grouping for basic orienting information. Some examples of wonderment questions could be "Is everything either a fuel or needs a fuel?" "Can you make different fossil fuels by mixing other fossil fuels?" What kind of questions students are capable of asking depends on whether they have prior knowledge on that topic.