STEM
Sociocultural approaches to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Education.
The aims of the ISCAR special section in STEM education are to
CULTURAL-HISTORICAL APPROACHES TO CHILDREN’S DEVELOPMENT AND CHILDHOOD
Purpose
The purpose of this section is to create a forum for researchers who are interested in developmental psychology and childhood, with a special focus on using activity theory and the cultural-historical research approach as a way to unite these two opposing approaches to the study of children. Developmental psychology has often been characterised historically as the study of ‘the general child’, with a focus on developing a model that can be used to evaluate individual children and their changing relation to society as they grow up. Childhood studies have focused on the study of children anchored in historical time and settings; such approaches are more commonly found within anthropological and sociological traditions, especially those that focus on situated and localised practice with children. Cultural-historical approaches seek to unite the general principles in relation to historical time and place.
For Membership of the CHACDOC section write to Mariane Hedegaard (Professor of Developmental Psychology, University of Copenhagen, Denmark)
Recent News & Updates
For the program for the upcoming preconference from the CHACDOC section at ISCAR Conference Rome 2011 “An analytical approach to children’s perspectives based on Cultural-Historical and activity conceptions” see:
http://www.iscar2011.org/eng/pre-conf_chacoc.php
Meetings
For information about the past and forthcoming meetings of CHACDOC section see:
Readings
Hännikäinen Maritta: CREATING TOGETHERNESS AND BUILDING A PRESCHOOL COMMUNITY OF LEARNERS: THE ROLE OF PLAY AND GAMES (pdf document)
Hardman Joanne: Researching pedagogy: an Activity Theory approach. Towards a language of description. (powerpoint presentation, Helsingør, August 2008)
Stetsenko A. & Arievitch I.: Vygotskian collaborative project of social transformation. History, politics, and practice in knowledge construction. Critical Psychology (pdf document)
Stetsenko A. & Arievitch I. (2004). The Self in Cultural-Historical Activity Theory. Reclaiming the Unity of Social and Individual Dimensions of Human Development (pdf document)
Stetsenko, A (2004) Introduction to “Tool and Sign in the Development of the Child” (pdf document)
Contact
Prof. Mariane Hedegaard
Developmental Psychology, Department of Psychology
University of Copenhagen, Denmark
ACTIVITY-THEORETICAL ACTIVITY INFORMATION DESIGN
Purpose
This section aims to bring together researchers and practitioners involved with the use of AT-based methods for the design and evaluation of computer software and hardware, information systems, human-computer interaction, computer-supported cooperative work, and computer-based work processes generally. We hope to promote and support an exciting and innovative multidisciplinary discourse which recognizes that the practical application of activity theory to the development of technology transcends traditional boundaries between the theoretical and applied sciences, and between science, art, and design.
ATIT is a growing international movement. Our hope is that this section will bring together and support the many existing ISCAR members with interests in the field, and also attract new members from relevant disciplines such as computer science, information systems, software engineering, ergonomics, applied psychology, etc.
Expected activities
We hope to organize workshops, Symposia, Seminars and Special Sessions and courses on ATIT, both independently and in association with ISCAR conferences and activities. We also hope to produce publications associated with ATIT section activities; ATIT newsletter/ mailing list/Web site; contributions on ATIT to ISCAR newsletter, etc. Please contact us with your suggestions for section activities.
Contact
The ATIT section is organized by Olav Bertelsen at Aarhus University, Denmark and Steve Harris at the University of Glamorgan, UK. For more information, to offer comments and suggestions, and/or to add your details to our mailing list, please contact Steve Harris [email protected].
CULTURAL FUNCTIONAL NEUROPSYCHOLOGY
Purpose
The purpose of this section is to act as a forum for scholars and practitioners who seek to ground their work with atypical populations in cultural, institutional and historical practices. Rather than investigating either neurodevelopmental disorders (e.g., autism, syndromes) or acquired disorders (e.g., head trauma, stroke), those participating in this section are concerned with the contribution of atypical yet functional uses of mediational means for personal development. As such, the goal is to provide a forum for those who while acknowledging the biology of human functioning, wish to focus on the cultural, institutional and historical situatedness of human action. Thus, members of this section seek to contribute to the ongoing ISCAR dialogue that provides theoretical and methodological languages that support research on the cultural and functional aspects of human mental functioning in populations who are frequently characterized by either atypical or acquired neurological differences.
Themes
Themes include but are not limited to communication, development, discourses, gerontology, identity, learning, work and workforce transitions.
Members
ISCAR members who conduct research, educate and/or treat atypical populations (e.g., audiology, deaf education, social work, special education, speech-language pathology) may especially be interested in joining this section.
Contact
For more information: Fran Hagstrom [email protected]
DIALECTICAL PSYCHOLOGY
Purpose
The central themes in focus for this section are the theoretical problems of cultural-historical and activity theory starting with the psychophysical problem and theoretical definition of life and psyche ending with ’tool and sign‘ problem, language, free will, ideality etc.
We also focus attention on applying dialectical analysis to theoretical, methodological and practical research problems with an interest in their utility for explaining diverse educational, political, cultural, sociological, historical and economic phenomena.
Our theoretical search will be based in part on ideas from L.S.Vygotsky, A.N.Leont‘ev and A.R.Luria and in part from ideas of such philosophers as Plato, Spinoza, Hegel, Marx and Ilyenkov as well as on all other philosophers and psychologists whose ideas can be productively synthesized into our focus.
Contact
For more information:
Alexander Surmava [email protected]
Prof. Newton Duarte (Department of Philosophy of Education, Universidade Estadual Paulista, Brazil) [email protected]
Liasion to Executive Committee: Dot Robbins [email protected]