scholarly journals Cultural-Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) as a Practical Lens to Guide Classroom Action Research in the Biology Classroom

2019 ◽  
Vol 81 (6) ◽  
pp. 395-402
Author(s):  
Josef De Beer
Keyword(s):  
Action Research ◽  
Activity Theory ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Cultural Historical Activity Theory ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Reflective Practitioners ◽  
Historical Activity ◽  
Classroom Action Research ◽  
Cultural Historical Activity ◽  
Analyze Data

Classroom action research (CAR) represents a midpoint between teacher reflection at one end and traditional educational research at the other. CAR is a process in which a teacher identifies problems in the context of his or her own classroom and then engages in investigative methods to address the problems. Teachers sometimes shy away from CAR, due to their lack of training in research methodology, time constraints, and the fact that not all schools value or support such a scholarship of teaching and learning. I show how cultural-historical activity theory (CHAT) could be used as a practical lens when engaging in CAR, and how this could help biology teachers become more reflective practitioners by using a rigorous tool to analyze data. Third-generation CHAT is explained and the reader is shown, through a practical example, how research findings could be analyzed and interpreted through a CHAT lens.

scholarly journals A cultural-historical activity theory focus on the holders of indigenous knowledge as self-directed learners: Lessons for education in South African schools

2017 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Josef J. De Beer ◽  
Elsa Mentz
Keyword(s):  
Indigenous Knowledge ◽  
Activity Theory ◽  
Learning Strategies ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Cultural Historical Activity Theory ◽  
Learning Goals ◽  
Learning Needs ◽  
Northern Cape ◽  
Historical Activity ◽  
Cultural Historical Activity

This article demonstrates by means of four examples how the holders of indigenous knowledge were and are self-directed learners. They take the initiative to diagnose their learning needs and learning goals, identify resources for learning, choose appropriate learning strategies, and evaluate the outcomes. The construct of the ethnobotanical knowledge index is used to show how people in the Northern Cape in South Africa become self-directed learners to survive. By using third-generation cultural-historical activity theory, we show the lessons this holds for the classroom, which often is characterised by teacher-centred transmission mode teaching and learning, with very little self-directed learning.

scholarly journals Aktivitetsteori som tenkeredskap i aksjonsforskning

2020 ◽  
pp. 133-161
Author(s):  
Thomas Eri ◽  
Marit Aas
Keyword(s):  
Action Research ◽  
Activity Theory ◽  
Cultural Historical Activity Theory ◽  
Research Projects ◽  
Historical Activity ◽  
Metropolitan University ◽  
Cultural Historical Activity

In this chapter we present and discuss how cultural-historical activity theory (CHAT) can inform and contribute to action research. The discussion is based on a study of how principles in activity theory are translated and applied by participants in a PhD course on action research at Oslo Metropolitan University. Key findings show that when participants use activity theory as a thinking tool in their action research projects, they identify systemic contradictions which in turn contribute to increased understanding of what potentially hinders and promotes change and development in their projects.

scholarly journals Using Cultural Historical Activity Theory to understand how emerging technologies can mediate teaching and learning in a mathematics classroom: a review of literature

2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marjorie Sarah Kabuye Batiibwe
Keyword(s):  
Activity Theory ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Emerging Technologies ◽  
Mathematics Classroom ◽  
Analytical Framework ◽  
Review Literature ◽  
Cultural Historical Activity Theory ◽  
Classroom Context ◽  
Historical Activity ◽  
Cultural Historical Activity

Abstract The purpose of this paper was to review literature on the Cultural Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) and how it has been used to understand the mediation between emerging technologies and teaching and learning in a mathematics classroom. Specifically, it aimed at understanding the genesis of CHAT and further analyzing the studies that have employed CHAT as an analytical framework for teaching and learning in a mathematics classroom context. Two major concerns arise out of this review. Firstly, CHAT has been synonymously used with Activity Theory, leaving one wondering what actually the difference between the two in terms of researchers’ conceptualization is. Secondly, although CHAT has been widely utilized in education research, scholarly articles that have employed it as their theoretical or analytical frameworks in a mathematics classroom context are still too few and yet still, the few that have utilized it have not exploited its maximum potential. The implications for this review for teachers in Uganda are active student engagement and creation of collaboration spaces for dialogue and interaction in the teaching and learning process.

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