Re: unit of analysis

Judy Diamondstone (diamonju who-is-at rci.rutgers.edu)
Mon, 1 Apr 1996 08:49:17 -0500

Bill, thanks. It's good here, where I am lodged with Ed Psych, because
I feel compelled to worry about questions of transfer in a way I
would not otherwise. It is, still, an important question for me,
but, as you say, needs cultural & historical relations built
into the unit of analysis.

- Judy

(you wrote):
>The concepts of solo and joint activity, though, are orthogonal to the
>differences between a "participation" perspective, which examines development
>as a transformation of participation in sociocultural activity, and a
>"transfer" perspective, which still looks for reciprocal, and often one-way
>influences in development. People do participate in both solo and joint
>activity, but it's important to note that even in solo activity, individuals
>typically act using mediational means (a point Jim Wertsch would make) and do
>so within activities that are culturally valued or which have forms similar
>to other activities that other participants in a culture have participated
>in. So valuing joint activity to me doesn't mean one would have to buy
>Solomon's argument there that individual competence is still the unit of
>analysis....
>
>Bill Penuel
Judy Diamondstone
diamonju who-is-at rci.rutgers.edu
Rutgers University

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