Final answer:
The inability to build the tower on her own is known as the 'zone of proximal development' according to Lev Vygotsky's sociocultural theory of development. It refers to the difference between what a child can do without help and what they can achieve with guidance and encouragement from a skilled partner.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student's question pertains to a scenario where Susie is trying to build a tower with blocks and is having difficulty doing it on her own. According to Lev Vygotsky's sociocultural theory of development, the gap between what a child can do independently and what a child can do with help is called the zone of proximal development (ZPD). Consequently, the inability to build the tower on her own and then being able to do it with her mother's assistance is an illustration of Susie working within her ZPD. Initially, she couldn't build the tower unaided because it was beyond her current cognitive abilities. However, with her mother's assistance (a more knowledgeable other), she was able to construct the tower. Afterwards, Susie was able to replicate this task on her own, demonstrating internalization of the skill learned within her ZPD.The concept of scaffolding is also relevant here, as it describes the support given by the more knowledgeable other within the ZPD that enables the child to perform tasks they otherwise could not do alone. In Susie's case, her mother's help served as scaffolding, aiding her learning process until she could manage on her own. Vygotsky's theory emphasizes the importance of social interaction in cognitive development, arguing that learning often precedes development and occurs within the ZPD with the assistance of scaffolding.