Assessment of—or in—the zone of proximal development

Two perspectives on assessment are suggested by different interpretations of Vygotskyʹs concept of the zone of proximal development (ZPD). The first perspective—developed in the field of dynamic assessment research—considers that it is possible to measure the learnerʹs ZPD as an individual trait showing a certain stability across instructional settings. The second perspective draws on work on interactive formative assessment integrated in classroom instruction. In this approach, assessment intervenes in the ZPD created by a learnerʹs on-going interactions with a given instructional setting. Critical appraisal is given to the way in which each perspective interprets Vygotskyʹs writings.