ACTIVITY THEORY LEARNING THEORY PRESENTATION Viviane Vladimirschi Assignment # 3 EDDE 803

The legacy of Lev Vygotsky (1934-1986): “The Mozart of Psychology” (Toulmin, 1981)

Cultural Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) the development of human personality takes place during

its upbringing and teaching, and has a specifically historical character, content, and form;

the development of a personality takes place during changes in the social situations of a person's life, or during changes in the types and kinds of his personal activity;

the basic form of carrying out activity is in joint-collective enactment by a group of people through their social interaction;

the individual way of carrying out activity is the result of internalizing its basic form;

an essential role in this process of interiorization is played by systems of signs and symbols, created through the history of human culture.;

the assimilation by a person of historical values of material and spiritual culture in the process of that person's teaching and upbringing takes place through that person's carrying out of personal activity in collaboration with other people.

Davydov & Kerr (1995)

Introduction to Activity Theory 1920s

Vygostsky, Luria, Leont'ev

Subject and object mediated through artifacts/tools

‘Activity’ is the basic unit of analysis

1970s Engeström

What are Activity Systems?

historically developed; mediated by tools; dialectically structured; analyzed as the relations of participants and

tools; changed through zones of proximal development. What the child is initially able to do only together with adults and peers, and then can do independently, lies exactly in the zone of proximal psychological development. Russell (1995)

Is Activity Theory a learning theory?

“Activity theory is not a methodology. Rather it isa "philosophical framework for studying differentforms of human praxis as developmentalprocesses, both individual and social levelsinterlinked at the same time" (Jonassen & Rohrer-Murphy, 1999, p. 532). Praxis vs. Practice

Example of an Activity System

Developmental, educational and organizational psychology;

Cognitive science; Curriculum and teaching; Literacy, writing and

rhetoric; Information technology; Design; Geography

First Generation

Robertson (2008)

Second Generation

(Learner) (Learner) (Successful learning)

Engeström (2001)

Third Generation

Engeström (2001)

Expansive learning Standard learning theories offer little insight for

understanding important transformations in our personal lives and organizational practices.

Expansive learning activity produces culturally new patterns of activity and new forms of work activity.

It is aimed at getting people or groups of people to radically question the sense and meaning of the context and to construct a wider alternative context.

It is geared towards fostering significant sideways learning.

Tackles real life problems through problem solving; learning is driven questioning existing practice; learning opens up wider possibilities for participants.

Engeström (2001)

The eight-step model: Mwanza & Engeström (2005)

Step Identify the: Question to ask:

1 Activity of interest What sort of activity am I interested in?

2 Objective Why is the activity taking place?

3 Subjects Who is involved in carrying out this activity?

4 Tools By what means are the subjects performing this activity?

5 Rules and regulations Are there any cultural norms, rules, or regulations governing the performance of activity?

6 Division of labour Who is responsible for what, when carrying out activity,and how are the roles organised?

7 Community What is the environment in which this activity is carried out?

8 Outcome What is the desired outcome from carrying out this activity?

Distance Education: 3 Activity Systems

Organizational Core business and strategic directions Financial sustainability

Technological Stable, reliable, scalable Standards and procedures

Pedagogic Dominant pedagogic approach Needs and preferences of learners Teacher’s disposition towards technology adoption

Robertson (2008)

The DE Activity System

Organizational, Technological and

Pedagogic Sustainability

Expansionist Learning

References and resources for further study Davydov, V. V., & Kerr, S. T. (1995). The influence of LS Vygotsky on education theory, research, and practice. Educational Researcher, 12-21. Engeström, Y. (2001). Expansive learning at work: Toward an activity theoretical reconceptualization. Journal of education and work, 14(1), 133-156. Retrieved from http://www.handover.eu/upload/library/jimaw6szeyuluh4tho6oq.pdfHolzman, L. (2006). What kind of theory is activity theory? Introduction. Theory & Psychology, 16(1), 5-11.Jonassen, D. H., & Rohrer-Murphy, L. (1999). Activity theory as a framework for designing constructivist learning environments. Educational Technology Research and Development, 47(1), 61-79.Kaptelinin, V., Kuutti, K., & Bannon, L. (1995). Activity theory: Basic concepts and applications. In Human-computer interaction (pp. 189-201). Springer Berlin Heidelberg. Retrieved from http://www.ulfblanke.com/downloads/activity_theory/kaptelinin-basics.pdfMwanza, D., & Engeström, Y. (2005). Managing content in E‐learning environments. British Journal of Educational Technology, 36(3), 453-463. Retrieved from http://www.qou.edu/english/scientificResearch/eLearningResearchs/managing.pdfRobertson, I. (2008, November). Sustainable e-learning, activity theory and professional development. In Ascilite (pp. 819-826). Retrieved from http://ascilite.org.au/conferences/melbourne08/procs/robertson.pdf?origin=publication_detailRoth, W. M., & Lee, Y. J. (2007). “Vygotsky’s neglected legacy”: Cultural-historical activity theory. Review of Educational Research, 77(2), 186-232.Russell, D. (1995). Activity theory and its implications for writing instruction. Reconceiving writing, rethinking writing instruction, 51-78. Retrieved from http://comphacker.org/comp/engl431/files/2012/08/Russell-Activity-Theory.pdf