Lev Vygotsky described scaffolding a hundred years ago in his work on child development and learning. He introduced the concept of the “Zone of Proximal Development” (ZPD). The ZPD refers to the distance between what an individual can do without help and what they can do with guidance and encouragement from a skilled partner. It’s much easier to ride a bike if someone on Rollerblades is scooting along beside you, holding the handlebars. A few hours later, you can’t remember ever not knowing how to ride.
