Abstract
In this chapter Edwards outlines a Vygotskian cultural-historical approach to learning, to argue that it offers a future-oriented approach to working in and on practices that can meet the demands of twenty-first century workplaces. Emphasising the importance of learners’ agency as they interpret and respond to problems in practices, she discusses how practices both shape people’s actions in activities, but also how participants in practices may in turn shape the practices. A key idea is the Vygotskian notion of social situation of development, a pathway of learning which is created by the learner as she propels herself forward taking advantage of the resources available to support her learning. Successful momentum involves informed interpretation of tasks and the ability to recognise the environmental affordances that can support actions on them. The challenges of changing practices and of individuals’ transitions as they orient to new tasks and demands are recognised and the implications are discussed. There is also discussion of how Vygotsky-based ideas on working relationally across practice boundaries can help with planning for and engaging in collaborations on complex problems.
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Edwards, A. (2022). Rethinking Learning for a High Skills Economy: What a Cultural-Historical Approach Can Offer. In: Bound, H., Tan, J.PL., Lim Wei Ying, R. (eds) Pedagogies for Future-Oriented Adult Learners. Lifelong Learning Book Series, vol 27. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-92867-4_3
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