School change and educational reform: How activity theory could respond to Sarason's insights

Este artigo aborda três perspetivas no sentido de reconhecer a centralidade da agência participante na mudança da escola e da reforma educacional. Primeiro, observações feitas por Sarason em relação à mudança da escola e à reforma educacional. Em seguida, a metodologia intervencionista baseada na teoria da atividade de Engeström, visando o reconhecimento da agência na condução de intervenções locais. Finalmente, um caso empírico de colaboração entre a investigadora e a professora num projeto de intervenção numa aula de Matemática de 4.º ano na Suécia. Aqui encontra-se a possibilidade de ver a mudança da escola e a reforma educacional em termos dos interesses dos alunos e da agência da professora no âmbito das intervenções na sala de aula.Abstract Three perspectives are brought together in this paper, towards recognising the centrality of participant agency in school change and educational reform. First, observations made by Sarason in relation to school change and educational reform. Second, Engeström's activity theory based interventionist methodology, which seeks recognition of agency in the conduct of local interventions. Finally an empirical case of teacher-researcher collaboration and project based intervention at a Grade four mathematics classroom in Sweden. Herein lies the possibility of viewing school change and educational reform in terms of students' interests and teacher agency within classroom interventions.Résumé Trois perspectives sont réunies dans cet article visant à reconnaître la centralité de l'agence participant au changement de l'école et à la réforme de l'éducation. Tout d'abord, les observations faites par Sarason sur le changement de l'école et la réforme de l'éducation. Deuxièmement, la méthode interventionniste basée sur la théorie de l'activité de Engeström, qui cherche la reconnaissance de l'agence dans la conduite des interventions locales. Enfin, un cas empirique de collaboration enseignant-chercheur dans un projet d'intervention en cours de mathématiques de quatrième année, en Suède. Là réside la possibilité de voir le changement de l'école et la réforme de l'éducation en termes d‟intérêts des étudiants et de l'agence de l'enseignant au sein des interventions en classe

The micro-culture of a mathematics classroom : Artefacts and Activity in Meaning making and Problem solving

Doktorgradsavhandlin

Analysing two group-tasks and a collaborative classroom practice with Engeström’s activity theory

Two teachers, Olaf and Knut, conducted two group-tasks in succession, early in the academic year at a gymnasium or upper secondary school in Norway. In doing so they steered classroom practice away from traditional instruction, with Olaf alone as teacher, to cooperative learning in small groups with guidance from both. While the first group-task titled When Together initiated cooperative learning by students in small groups, the second titled How Heavy initiated student groups to build upon group cooperation and work with other groups in a collaborative classroom practice. It was Olaf and Knut’s intention to have their students cooperate in small groups at all times and collaborate with students from other groups on occasion. A few months into the year, Olaf and Knut’s students’ groups had opportunity to discuss rules of cooperation whereupon their collaborative classroom practice became the norm. Using examples of students’ attempts at both group-tasks, I portray Olaf and Knut’s initiation of such a practice. Using Engeström’s activity model I shed light on how students' participation was transformed to meet with their intentions

Surface area to volume ratio and metabolism : analysing small group-task as Vygotskian activity

Three students Dan, Levi and Thor, attempt a group-task containing worksheets A and B. While worksheet A asks students to calculate and compare surface area to volume ratio of a sphere for six successive units, worksheet B asks them to consider the metabolism of living cells and the bearing the ratio has on their functioning and size. While Levi and Thor own the group-task, follow its instructions and deliberate on its questions, Dan declares his intention of observing Levi and Thor and takes a free ride. Based on students inscriptions and transcript of audio-recordings, I show how Levi and Thor work through calculations required in worksheet A with ease, even coming up with conjectures. In attempting worksheet B they are able to correlate better metabolism in cells with a smaller radius, yet question if that model is indeed borne out in reality. The concept of activity in Vygostkian theory is used to study students attempts at the group-task. Three constructs from cultural historical activity theory and/or CHAT namely leading activity, germ cell of activity and learning activity are utilised to shed light on attempts by Dan, Levi and Thor at their group-task.

Teacher research as self-study and collaborative activity

This article highlights two insightful methods for advancing teacher research: practitioner self-study in relation to a range of texts, with which to examine one’s educational landscape; and classroom interventions conceived as a Vygotskian activity, via teacher-researcher collaboration. Both approaches allow teachers and collaborating researchers to share individual expertise across institutional boundaries and engage in creative local action

Studying classroom problem-solving instruction and learning via mediated action and talk

This paper attempts to synergise the recognised need for studying classroom problem-solving instruction and learning and the promise of such study with socio-cultural-historical and activity or CHAT perspectives. A doctoral and longitudinal study is drawn upon to illustrate the insight that is possible when two of its constructs, namely mediated action and spoken language or talk are utilised as units of analysis. The writings of A. R. Luria are specially drawn attention to enable analysis of various instances within teaching-learning in which the higher mental function of spoken language makes the development of other higher mental functions possible. It is argued that occasion to develop numerous such functions within classroom instruction could contribute to the repertoire of skills that are necessary for solving mathematical problems by students

Close-to-practice classroom research by way of Vygotskian units of analysis

This paper discusses the potential of Vygotskian units in researching classroom practices. Adopting a close-to-practice approach and action research where possible, an attempt is made to shed light on ongoing practices across grades 4-6, 7-9 and the gymnaisum. The theory/practice approach adopted keeps alive the relationship between theory-which-informs and theory-being-built, as well as existing-practice and steered-practice in these studies. The potential to inform researcher reflexivity and guide educational action along with the ability of units to grasp complexity, from as many perspectives as possible, and ascend to the concrete is brought forward. Such a strategy is deliberate, geared towards informing practitioner inquiry in ongoing classrooms.

To choose or not to choose mathematics : voices of students schooling at a gymnasium

This paper portrays voices of students pursuing mathematics at their gymnasium. Obtained through narrative interviews, the students voiced were observed and interacted with through their academic year. The opting out by one of the students from the standard level course for another course less demanding, forms backdrop to voices reported. An attempt is made to look beyond the label of modernity and seek to understand how the learning of mathematics by students is intimately connected to their experience of schooling. An example of close-to-practice research, highlighting tensions and contradictions of classroom practice, is presented.Discourse in a mathematics classroom at the gymnasiu

The solving of problems and the problem of meaning : the case with grade eight adolescent students

The problem of loss of meaning in schooling and teaching-learning of mathematics is explored in a study with adolescent students at two grade eight classes in Sweden with five frames of reference: deploying CHAT theoretical perspectives, incorporating student agency and identity, conduct of an action strategy, the design of meaningful mathematical tasks and the situatedness of these in local contexts of classroom and school. Exemplary of second-order action research, the conduct of five mathematical tasks enables reformulating the situated social practice in the classrooms, evidencing overt display of student identity in the fifth and final task. The addressing of problems posed by students in this open-ended task e.g. What is your favorite sport? Have you tested smoking? allows students to combine mathematical knowing and a sense of achievement, along with their selves as perceived in their local contexts. The inclusion of problems/mathematical tasks related to students' self is thus sought for in the curriculum of mathematics for adolescent students. Teaching and problem-solving in whole and small-group at grades eight and nin

Researcher reflexivity leading to action research in a mathematics classroom : enabling Nelly to multiply again through deconstruction and reconstruction

Two studies, at grade six and grade four in Sweden with a mathematics teacher Lea, are drawn upon in this paper to discuss the active role of researcher reflexivity made possible when situated narrative, classroom talk and mediated action are deployed as units of analysis. While in the first study, situated narrative provides access to voices and strategies of students in their attempts at learning the mathematics being demanded of them; the deployment of classroom talk and mediated action as additional units in the second allows further access to students' participation in activities specially designed to promote communication within mathematics. With greater insight into classroom teaching-learning, researcher reflexivity is now encountered in empirical terms, preparing the ongoing study for desirable intervention if necessary. Such an opportunity arises and is utilised when Lea shares with the researcher, her stumbling upon of the faulty use of the equality sign by her students. With activities now designed and conducted to trace the root of the problem and facilitate appropriate use as background, the personal travails of a student Nelly with the multiplication demanded of her also surface. Nelly is found able to multiply in a manner as mandated by the textbook, yet brakes down when unable to respond to a question in Lea's test that seeks the finding of pattern. The processes of deconstruction and reconstruction then lead the researcher to trace as well as resolve Nelly's predicament, allowing Nelly to regain her lost sense of control over her computational abilities as well as confidence. Drawing upon reflexivity substantiated in empirical terms, it thus becomes possible for the researcher to shift her role from a practical to a critical-emancipatory one, as well as – sustain an action research cycle, develop actionable knowledge and crucially, empower Nelly, her teacher and research.Development of students' communication at a grade four mathematics classroo