Re: expansive cycle

From: Tina Sharpe (tinasharpe@ozemail.com.au)
Date: Sun Feb 24 2002 - 14:12:11 PST


Thanks Nate,
I discovered it the other day and have read some of it already. it is very
comprehensive.
Tina

Nate Schmolze wrote:

> Tina,
>
> Expanding is available online at
> http://communication.ucsd.edu/MCA/Paper/Engestrom/expanding/toc.htm
>
> >From: Yrjö Engeström <yrjo.engestrom@helsinki.fi>
> >Reply-To: xmca@weber.ucsd.edu
> >To: <xmca@weber.ucsd.edu>
> >Subject: Re: expansive cycle
> >Date: Fri, 22 Feb 2002 21:30:42 +0300
> >
> >Dear Tina, at a general level, I find your description of the idea of
> >expansive cycle OK. However, there is a whole lot more to it, so I can only
> >recommend that you read the original explication of the theory, not only
> >secondary sources. The original source is:
> >
> >Engeström, Y. (1987). Learning by expanding: An activity-theoretical
> >approach to developmental research. Helsinki: Orienta-Konsultit.
> >
> >Unfortunately the book is out of print, but there are copies in libraries
> >and in the possession of colleagues.
> >
> >As to the issue of natural vs. constructed, I think expansive cycles happen
> >all the time 'naturally' in societies - that is, without explicit arranging
> >by researchers or teachers. But they mostly happen in fragmentary forms and
> >temporally and spatially so widely dispersed that they are hard to capture.
> >Partly for that reason, in 'Learning by Expanding', I used two novels
> >('Huckleberry Finn' and 'Seven Brothers') as my prime examples of 'natural'
> >expansive cycles. And later I analyzed Peter Hoeg's semi-autobiographical
> >novel 'The Borderliners' as another example.
> >
> >But the issue goes deeper than that. Is any societal process 'natural'? I
> >don't think so. There is always constructive and destructive interference,
> >or interpenetration and intermingling of activity systems.
> >
> >Cheers,
> >
> >Yrjo Engestrom
> >
> > > Dear Professor Engestrom,
> > > I understand the expansive model is part of a larger theoretical
> >framework and
> > > have drawn on some recent work of Gordon Wells to make connections to
> >the
> > > classroom context. As I understand it then an expansive cycle
> >"represent[s
> > > ]the
> > > way in which action is embedded within this more complex organizational
> > > structure of activity" (Wells 2001, p 5) that leads to the development
> >of new
> > > structures within an activity system. In other words, expansion is
> >Engestrom's
> > > metaphor for transformative processes and outcomes whereby activity
> >systems
> > > can
> > > reproduce existing social structures and through expansion produce new
> > > ones.(Minnis and John-Steiner 2000)
> > >
> > > If I have understood this correctly, then as Wells states 'the expanded
> >model
> > > of
> > > an activity system can be used to show potential areas of tension and
> > > potential
> > > breakdown and (according to Phillip Capper's email) this means the
> > > constructivist teacher takes this opportunity to create a ZPD in the
> >class to
> > > assist students to develop an historical perspective of their world.
> > >
> > > I said I thought the expansive cycle was a natural stage in development
> > > because
> > > I was thinking about the expansive cycle being a more sophisticated
> >phase in
> > > the
> > > activity of learning to think like an historian. I suppose given our
> > > conversation I should see it as not natural at all but needing to be
> > > constructed
> > > by the teacher so they become motivated to transform their
> >understanding.
> > >
> > > Does this make sense? Am I on the right track or have I missed the
> >point?
> > > Thanks
> > > Tina
> > >
> > > Yrjö Engeström wrote:
> > >
> > >> Dear Tina, the expansive cycle model is part of a larger theoretical
> > >> framework, namely the theory of expansive learning, which is based on
> > >> cultural-historical activity theory. If you want to use the expansive
> >cycle,
> > >> you need to go into its theoretical foundations. They are very
> >different
> > >> from "a constructivist pedagogical strategy for promoting students'
> > >> conceptual development" that David Kirshner was referring to.
> > >>
> > >> In various versions of constructivist pedagogy, conceptual conflict
> >refers
> > >> to any situation where the student's existing concepts or schemata fail
> >to
> > >> explain or predict some experience. In the theory of expansive
> >learning,
> > >> contradictions refer historically evolving deep tensions in collective
> > >> activity systems.
> > >>
> > >> You mentioned that you had thought that "the expansive cycle was a
> > >> natural stage in development." I wonder what you mean by this. Could
> >you
> > >> perhaps elaborate a bit?
> > >>
> > >> Best regards,
> > >>
> > >> Yrjo Engestrom
> > >>
> > >>> I viewed Professor Engestrom's video yesterday on the expansive cycles
> > >>> in Learning 3 and wondered if someone could help clarify a point for
> >me.
> > >>>
> > >>> I am researching the role of the teacher in supporting students'
> > >>> conceptual development. The students are junior high school history
> > >>> students. Before watching the video I thought the expansive cycle was
> >a
> > >>> natural stage in development and students could, through dialogue with
> > >>> the teacher and other students, co-construct knowledge about the
> >nature
> > >>> of history and historical methodology - ie begin to think like an
> > >>> historian. Now it seems this expansive cycle needs some kind of
> >conflict
> > >>> or disharmony for participants to reflect and "look outside the box".
> >If
> > >>> this is the case then in the classroom situation I have described,
> > >>> students do not engage in this expansive cycle.
> > >>>
> > >>> I would really appreciate some clarification on this point.
> > >>>
> > >>> My second question is the use of multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary
> > >>> and crossdisciplinary. If, as a teacher researcher I am drawing on
> > >>> linguistic theory (SFL) education theory, sociology and cognitive
> > >>> psychology to consider learning in the classroom within a social
> >context
> > >>> is my work multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary and crossdisciplinary?
> > >>>
> > >>> I am not sure of the fine points related to these terms.
> > >>>
> > >>> Again any comments would be appreciated.
> > >>>
> > >>> Tina Sharpe
> > >>> PhD student
> > >>> University of Technology
> > >>> Sydney, Australia.
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
> nAtE
>
> vygotsky@charter.net
> http://webpages.charter.net/schmolze1/
>
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