Scaffolding and mediating for creativity: suggestions from reflecting on practice in order to develop the teaching and learning of gymnastics

Abstract

This article takes a reflective stance on the development of practice in scaffolding and mediating for creativity and potentially better performance in gymnastics. The pedagogical approach outlined illustrates how an experienced practitioner can adopt mediational (rather than meddling) and scaffolding techniques to focus on supporting the development of creativity. Various teaching tactics and their influences on the nature and direction of learning are described. Dialogic reflections from the students as well as examples of task outcomes offer insight into the impact of this approach on learning processes and performance outcomes. Reflections-in-action, on-action and post-action from this study offer suggestions about how a learning programme could be re-focused, tasks structured and mediational approaches adapted to support more creativity in the teaching and learning of gymnastics specifically and in learning in general.

Keywords:

• scaffolding
• reflection
• creativity
• gymnastics

Notes

1. Vygotsky’s notion of the zone of proximal development (zpd) is applied to promote a higher level of ‘potential development as determined through problem solving’ under adult (or expert) guidance or in collaboration with more capable peers’. Vygotsky 1978, 86.