What is a knug?

Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development suggests that we need to be within striking distance to learn something. Except we can all see the paradox there. Who's to say how far is close enough - the teacher or the apprentice? That's the inherent problem with learning. In order to teach, we need to know what to teach and to whom. In order to learn, we need to know what we're missing and have a way to address it. There's an important relationship here but it requires precise communication.

Knug is short for "knowledge nugget". These question and answer pairs fill knowledge gaps and provide a structure to attach new questions. This communication platform allows learners to find the knugs they need and ask follow-up questions when they don't. Teachers can then assess and address knowledge gaps through the follow-up questions. Teachers and learners discover a learning zone through the mutual, and structured, communication. The knug provides the scaffolding for learning but communication between people elaborates on the scope of the structure.