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Designing a Well-Formed Activity System for an ICTs-Supported Classroom

A Cultural-Historical Activity Theory Perspective

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Beyond Knowledge: The Legacy of Competence
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Abstract

This case study presents a new approach to overcome problems with information and communication technology (ICT) integration in K-12 school education. We analyzed contradictions that a Grade 7 mathematics teacher faced in his teaching practices and helped the teacher design and construct new models of teaching. The constructs of mediation and contradiction in Cultural-Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) framed the analysis of existing teaching practices as well as the design of interventions. Identified contradictions were (a) contradictions in the use of ICTs between teacher and students; (b) contradictions among ICTs, rules of communications, and division of labor, and most importantly (c) contradictions between activity object and outcomes. Findings indicated that the designed interventions on the teaching practices based on the identified contradictions from CHAT perspectives played a large role in helping the participant teacher transform the existing ill-formed activity system into a well-formed one.

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Park, J., Bracewell, R. (2008). Designing a Well-Formed Activity System for an ICTs-Supported Classroom. In: Zumbach, J., Schwartz, N., Seufert, T., Kester, L. (eds) Beyond Knowledge: The Legacy of Competence. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-8827-8_14

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