Blending Teaching with Feedback and the Zone of Proximal Development

As an educator, creating meaningful learning experiences has always been my focus. I remember working with two students—let’s call them Student A and Student B to keep their identities private—who approached learning in different, uniquely strong ways. Student A had this wonderful enthusiasm, diving into new problems with energy and creativity, while Student B showed an incredible attention to detail, carefully considering each step. Both were highly capable, but they benefited from different kinds of feedback to bring out their strengths even further.

In working with Student A, I offered guidance to help channel that creativity into a step-by-step approach, giving specific feedback on how to break down problems. For Student B, I focused on building confidence in their initial instincts, reinforcing their process and encouraging them to trust their analysis. Each student grew in their own way, connecting more deeply with the material and gaining the confidence to push their learning forward.

This experience showed me the transformative power of combining teaching with feedback that’s tailored to a learner’s Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)—that place where just the right support can spark real growth. It’s a powerful approach, one that’s just as vital online as it is in a physical classroom. With the AI-driven tools we’re building at Kyron Learning, we’re able to bring these principles to scale, making it possible for every learner to receive the guidance they need to reach their full potential, no matter the learning environment.

Understanding the Concepts

Teaching with Feedback is about giving learners the kind of specific, timely input that keeps them moving forward. It’s more than just telling them right or wrong; it’s about helping them see their progress, understand where they can improve, and feel more connected to their own growth.

Meanwhile, the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)—a concept from Lev Vygotsky—represents that sweet spot between what a learner can tackle alone and what they can achieve with a little guidance. Working within this zone helps learners stretch just enough to make real progress without feeling out of their depth.

The Interplay Between Feedback and ZPD

To maximize learning, we need to effectively blend these two concepts. By identifying a learner’s ZPD, instructors can observe performance on tasks that challenge them without overwhelming them. When we provide feedback tailored to this zone, we can help learners extend their understanding and achieve their potential. 

For instance, when a learner makes a mistake, instead of simply marking it wrong, we can view it as a valuable learning opportunity. This shift in mindset encourages dialogue around the learner's thought process: “What were you communicating with your answer? What can we learn from this?” By understanding their learning profiles and engaging them in reflective conversations, we can foster curiosity and deeper interest in the subject matter.

The Role of Scaffolding

Effective teaching with feedback often involves scaffolding—offering support through hints, prompts, or examples to bridge the gap between current abilities and desired outcomes. This might look like providing a rubric for a writing assignment, pairing struggling readers with more advanced peers, or guiding learners through complex problem-solving.

The Impact on Various Learning Experiences

1. Higher Education: In college settings, learners often face complex concepts. By applying feedback within their ZPD, we can help them tackle challenging materials while promoting self-directed learning. When learners feel they have agency over their education, their engagement and motivation soar, a key methodology to ensure that in the race to scale instruction online at colleges and universities, we still keep learners engaged, enrolled and graduating 
2. Professional Development: Blending feedback and ZPD can transform employee learning experiences. Tailored feedback during training sessions helps individuals identify areas for growth, while scaffolding ensures that they are not left to navigate complex new skills alone. 
3. Customer and Partner Training: For organizations involved in customer and partner education, understanding and applying these concepts is crucial. Effective training programs that incorporate feedback mechanisms empower participants to grasp key information while providing them with the support they need to succeed. This leads to better product understanding and enhanced relationships.

The Role of AI in Scaling These Practices

Education technology, particularly AI, holds transformative potential for scaling the use of feedback and ZPD in educational settings. Here’s how:

• Adaptive Learning Systems: AI-powered courses can dynamically analyze learner performance in real-time, helping instructors identify each learner’s ZPD and deliver tailored feedback through guided discussions that meet learners. This allows for more personalized learning experiences at scale.
• Data-Driven Insights: Traditionally, it’s hard for an instructor to gather insights into the learning habits and trends of dozens or hundreds of learners in a higher education course or even thousands of learners in the corporate context. However, with a platform that generates insights automatically, instructors can refine their approach, adopt the best practices and apply them faster than ever.

A Holistic Approach to Learning

When I transitioned out of the classroom and into education technology, one of my main motivators was to help drive equitable educational experiences at scale, while also staying true to my pedagogical roots. To find a platform that not only respects the intersection between teaching with feedback and the Zone of Proximal Development in AI-infused edtech but champions it, ensures that I’m working on creating nurturing educational environments. 

Have you tried to create a Kyron course targeted at a group of learners’ ZPD? Found new and different ways to teach with feedback via the platform? Let us know on social media with the #kyron! We love to celebrate instructor and learner achievement.