activity_theory

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Activity theory
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Activity theory (AT) is one of three practice based theories (PBTs) considered in this research.

According to Engeström, Miettinen and Punamäki-Gitai > Activity theory is an interdisciplinary approach to human sciences that originates in the cultural -historical psychology initiated by Vygotsky, Leont'ev, and Lauria. It takes the object-oriented, artefact-mediated collective activity system as its unit of analysis, thus bridging the gulf between the individual subject and the societal structure. (Engeström, Miettinen, & Punamäki-Gitai, 1999, inside front cover)
 * What is activity theory?**

As Yrjö Engeström argues, in the journal of //Computer Supported Cooperative Work// (CSCW), "Activity theory introduces the crucial distinction between collective activity systems and individual actions," (Engeström 1999, abstract).

In her Ph.D on human-computer interaction (HCI) research-and-practice Daisy Mwanza provides the following definition > Activity theory is a philosophical and cross-disciplinary framework for studying different forms of human practices as developmental processes, with both individual and social levels interlinked at the same time. (Kuutti, 1996, p. 25; quoted Mwanza, 2002, p. 50)

Activity theory has been used as a theoretical framework for research into the design and development of online community learning environments. For example, Sasha Barab and his colleagues use AT to investigate "the systemic tensions characterising a technology-rich astronomy course," (Barab, Barnett, Yamagata-Lynch, Squire, & Keating, 2002, title). Integral to the course’s pedagogical philosophy was the aim to develop "participatory … environments that are technology rich and allow students to ground their understandings within their own concrete experiences," (Barab et al., 2002, p. 77).

Jonassen and Rohrer-Murphy, (1999) propose //Activity theory as a framework for designing constructivist learning environments//, and Laura Farres and Colla MacDonald (2006, p. 164) argue activity theory provides a useful lens from which to view the use of "constructivist instructional design (ID) models" which they suggest have "emerged with increasing frequency with e-learning."

The rationale for using activity theory in this research
One justification for including AT in this research is that AT can be seen as a "means to analyse organisations as distributed, decentred and emergent knowledge systems," (Blackler, Crump, & McDonald, 2000, abstract). In other words, AT can be seen as an appropriate means of analysis when the subject of research is a distributed community, perhaps called either a //distributed// or //virtual// community of practice (CoP).

As argues Mwanza argues, there is a need for research methods that will help researchers "obtain deeper insights into the ways and means in which humans use computers in their daily lives," (2002, p.1); "Activity Theory ... is committed to understanding both individual and collective aspects of human practices [...]," (p. 20)

Activity theory and content classification
For more on and activity theory and content classification (Mwanza & Engeström, 2005), see activity system [//more to follow//]

Internal links

 * activity_system
 * daisy_mwanza
 * journal_of_cscw
 * leontev
 * sasha_barab
 * vygotsky
 * yrjo_engestrom