• Educational Technology International
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.79-105
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• 2009

The notion of contradiction from Cultural-Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) perspectives is known as an "engine" for the development of human practices because participants attempt to adjust their practices to resolve contractions. This study examines two middle school teachers' classroom practices from CHAT, focusing on the role of contradictions that emerged between their existing teaching practices and constructivist activities in the development of a student-centered technology-integrated learning environment. Findings indicated that teachers' awareness and resolution of contradictions played a large role in the development of a technology-supported student-centered learning environment, a culturally more advanced activity system: students displayed greater responsibilities for their learning and were guided to make effective decisions for their learning activity.

• Journal of the Korean School Mathematics Society
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.21-47
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• 2023

This study examines the activity system of teaching and learning about informal statistical inference using sampling simulation, based on cultural-historical activity theory. The research explores what contradictions arise in the activity system and how the system changes as a result of these contradictions. The participants were 20 elementary school students in the 5th to 6th grades who received classes on informal statistical inference using sampling simulations. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. The findings show that a contradiction emerged between the rule and the object, as well as between the mediating artifact and the object. It was confirmed that visualization of empirical sampling distribution was introduced as a new artifact while resolving these contradictions. In addition, contradictions arose between the subject and the rule and between the rule and the mediating artifact. It was confirmed that an algorithm to calculate the mean of the sample means was introduced as a new rule while resolving these contradictions.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.76-89
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• 2004

Recent studies of science and technology "in-the-making" revealed that the process of designing material artifacts is not a straightforward application of prior images or theories by one (or more) person(s) isolated from his or her (their) environment. Rather, designing is a process contingent on the social and material setting for both engineering designers and students. Over the past decade, designing technological artifacts has emerged as an important learning environment in science classrooms. Through the analyses of a large database concerning an innovative simple machines curriculum for sixth-and seventh-grade students, we accumulated valid evidence for the nature of the designing process and science learning through it. In this paper, we show that design actions intertwine with the transformation of the objectified raw materials and artifact, the designer collective, and the mediating tools enabling that transformation, which constitute the elements of an activity from the perspective of cultural-historical activity theory. We conceptualize the continuous change of relation between material artifacts, designers, and tools throughout the design activity as co-evolution. Two episodes were selected to exemplify synchronic and diachronic change of relations inherent in co-evolving activity system. Finally, we discuss the implications of co-evolution during design activity for science learning.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.149-155
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• 2019

In this study, the multiplicity of synchronous online class discussion activity is explored at conceptual level. From the cultural-historical activity theory (CHAT), each utterance may be considered as a product of the activity system. Alderfer's ERG theory is employed as another theoretical framework for the study. Based on the subject's existence, relationship, growth needs, their class discussion activities constitute four different dimensions: physical/biological, cultural/institutional, social/relational, and cooperative knowledge construction. It is inherent in individual activities and has a different arrangement according to their interests and situations, and at the same time acts as a factor of cooperation and competition among the participants. Through this, collective discussion activities represent complex and dynamic development patterns.

• Journal of Science Education
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.52-71
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• 2016

The purpose of this study is to analyze the learning activities which use asexual reproduction learning application(app) of students with special needs through the Cultural Historical Activity(CHAT). The asexual reproduction learning app was developed for students with special needs, and analyzed the learning activities of students with special needs in perspective of CHAT. The app was developed as subsidiary study material for asexual reproduction inquiry learning. Main functions of the app were composed of concept learning, problem solving, video playing, and report writing. According the CHAT analysis, findings indicated that students with special needs as the subject were able to organize division of labor demonstrated in cooperative learning with the object to actively participate in the class by using the tool of an app. This study also showed effective teaching strategy for improvement of learning achievement and task behavior level of student with special needs.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.343-354
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• 2018

In this study, the first experience of the whole research process of a novice scientist (student A) who participated in the Undergraduate Research Program (URP) was analyzed. The data were collected through observation, interviews, and document analysis with the cultural historical activity theory being used as a theoretical lens. At the beginning of novice's research, the mentor guided him in setting a research goal and provided mediating artifacts. Student A formed a research team based on the vertical relationship without a shared mental model. Two major contradictions occurred and they were the sources of changes of student A's activity system. The first contradiction was between the mentor's educational philosophy and the mentee's educational needs, which was resolved in a way that student A asked and used the mentor's network to obtain his needs about task-specific details. The second contradiction arose because the team members wanted horizontal relationship while student A wanted to stick to the vertical relationship. After student A accepted the opinions of the team members, they cooperatively changed the division of labor in the activity system. Student A decided to become a scientist and not a physics teacher, even if his major is physics education after finishing his URP research process. His URP experience also created and expanded his network in the academic field, and his negative attitude toward collaboration changed positively. Through the analysis of the structure and changes in the activity system of URP research, implications for instructional method and support system of the apprenticeship can be obtained.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.523-536
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• 2015

In this study, we analyzed the co-reflection of pre-service teacher community in three years of post-class discussions (PCD) on the basis of cultural historical activity theory in the case of an biological laboratory class program. We figured out the sociocultural elements of co-reflection of community using activity system suggested by $Engestr{\ddot{o}}m$. We also analyzed the aspect of reflection in terms of both 'the diversity of reflection subjects' and 'the practicality of reflection.' Finally, limitations of co-reflection were sought in a process of continuos circulation of reflection and practice. The results show that the sociocultural factors of 3-year-PCD changed, and in these changes, 'regular PCD,' 'introduction of tools for facilitating reflection,' 'transition of the subject in PCD from researcher to pre-service teachers' are remarkable. And in these process, co-reflection made positive progress since the content of reflection became diverse and practical. However, in some subjects such as 'managing time,' 'participation of students,' 'mentor's role (a kind of teaching manual),' reflective practice have not developed and similar patterns of discussion were repeated. From these results, we suggested ways of facilitating pre-service teacher community's co-reflection from the viewpoint of an activity system.

• Journal of English Language & Literature
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• v.64 no.1
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• pp.25-37
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• 2018

The turning point is one of the more evocative concepts in the critic's arsenal, as it is equally suited to the evaluation and analysis of a given moment in one's day as to those of a historical event. But how does one recognize a turning point? As we find ourselves always "in the middest," both spatially and temporally, we inhabit sites that may be points at which many things may be seen to turn. Indeed, it is usually only possible to identify a turning point, as it were, from a distance, from the remove of space and time which allows for a sense of recognition, based in part on original context and in part of perceived effects. In this article, Robert T. Tally Jr. argues that the apprehension and interpretation of a turning point involves a fundamentally critical activity. Examining three models by which to understand the concept of the turning point-the swerve, the trope, and peripety (or the dialectical reversal)-Tally demonstrates how each represents a different way of seeing the turning point and its effects. Thus, the swerve is associated with a point of departure for a critical project; the trope is connected to continuous and sustained critical activity in the moment, and peripety enables a retrospective vision that, in turn, inform future research. Tally argues for the significance of the turning point in literary and cultural theory, and concludes that the identification, analysis, and interpretation of turning points is crucial to the project of criticism today.

• Journal of vocational education research
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.167-190
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• 2018

This study examines based on Cultural-Historical Activity Theory, graduate school student-workers' learning and developmental transfer in school and work. For this purpose, a question is raised. how do components of activities in school and workplace impact on learning and developmental transfer? For this study, based on the results of In-depth interview, questionnaire was designed and quantitative research has been conducted. This study analyzed 288 graduate school student-workers. As a results, First, the components which have an effect on learning were analyzed and the results show that among the components of the school activity system, the competitiveness reinforcement from object, the role of academic major from division of labor, and the interaction with professors from community are significant variables. Second, in case of developmental transfer, the activeness of class participation from tool, the role of academic major from division of labor, and the interaction with professors from community are significant variables of the school activity system and the self realization from object, the role in the workplace from division of labor, the interaction with supervisors from community, and the systemization of work from rule are significant variables of workplace activity system. On the basis of the findings, implications of the study and suggestions for further research are discussed.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.20 no.12
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• pp.780-788
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• 2019

This study is intended to analyze flipped classroom learning activities, which have recently been spotlighted as a learner-centered teaching method in universities, from the perspective of cultural and historical activity theory. A survey and some participation observations were conducted with one professor and the students who participated in Educational Methods and Technology courses at A university. The components of the flipped classroom learning activities were analyzed based on the model of the activity system, and contradictions that appeared in the interactions between components were analyzed. Four implications were proposed for a more advanced flipped classroom learning activity system: the professor's and the learners' true identity recognition and role performance, strengthening the organic link between online and offline activities, support for alleviating the burden of teaching and learning preparation, and readjusting the system to support its smooth operation.