I just received Perspectives on Activity Theory the other day,
so have just begun reading it. Most of the chapters are from
the 2nd ISCRAT conference in 1990. The book seems to attempt to
give a broad, but unifying picture of Activity Theory. The book
also attempts to expand activity theory from its psychological
and child development base.
Part 1: Theoretical Issues
I have began reading this section and have found it very
interesting. The section offers varying perspectives on the
direction Activity Theory should take and the merging of other
ideas with Activity Theory (ex. Tobach's focus on integrative
levels and Activity Theory). The first two chapters Engestrom
and Davydov focus on dichotomies and unsolved problems within
Activity Theory. The unifying theme throughout seems to be the
role of mediation in breaking down the Cartensian walls between
the individual mind and culture. There also seems to be an
emphasis on looking critically at Activity Theories past,
especially by the Russian authors. Both Davydov and Lektorsky
take a more critical look at the role of the subject within
Activity Theory. Lektorsky as well as Engestrom argued for the
importance of looking at both internalization and
externalization in human activity. A theme that ran throughout
all of the theoretical articles was Marx is alive and well. All
of the authors placed a heavy emphasis on Marx for the future of
Activity Theory.
Part 2
Language and its Acquisition
Part 3
Play, learning, and Instruction
Part 4
Technology and work
Part 5
Therepy and addiction
I was also very impressed by the book's multidiciplinary and
multinational approach.
Nate
-----Original Message-----
From: Gordon Wells <gwells who-is-at oise.utoronto.ca>
To: xmca who-is-at weber.ucsd.edu <xmca@weber.ucsd.edu>
Date: Thursday, February 25, 1999 9:15 AM
Subject: Re(2): Constructivism and Vygotsky
>Nate,
>
>Could you please give details about "Perspectives on Activity
Theory."
>
>Thanks,
>
>Gordon Wells
>