Class, race and gender were not academic concerns for Vygotsky but today they are the lenses through which many learners construct knowledge and self-understanding. Social Constructivists must place themselves in the learner s shoes in order to understand the nature of individualized learning. Furthermore, the learner needs to observe critiquing skills being modeled not only for skill acquisition but also as an authentic gesture of support for individualized learning that taps into life experiences. Failure to do so may result in a collapse of dialogue and an inability to sensitively guide the learner s development. For a Social Constructivist, this is the equivalent of poor teaching.
Brain research fits in well with Constructivist views of learning.
Through learning experiences, learners try to formulate new ways of understanding with prior knowledge as Schema theory supports. Learning is complex. Vygotsky was sensitive to the biological constraints of human development in his formulation of Social Constructivism. Yet, he held that cognition could be viably improved in the social and cultural context of the mentor-learner relationship. Enduring understanding is the goal of all Constructivists.