Welcome, Bruce!
Bruce, you wrote, "I am a converted radical behaviorist/instructional
systems designer who has
been in and out of the university as a student and/or adjunct instructor for
40 years."
Several years ago, when I was looking for job I had a job interview in one
of West coast universities in Department of Psychology evenly divided
between behaviorists and cognitivists. When I finished my presentation, one
of leading behaviorist there came to me and quietly said that he was glad
that Vygotskian (i.e., me) would come because Vygotsky was very close to
behaviorism. I was very surprised to that statement but I did not time (and
desire :-) to pursue that issue with that person in the context of my visit.
Later I talked with Roland Tharp, who used to a behaviorist but now is a
leading neo-Vygotskian. He also mentioned some, although, very indirect
connection between Vygotsky and behaviorism and that it is not by chance
that behavorists convert to Vygotsky's approach and not to cognitive. I
wonder what you think about that.
Eugene
-----Original Message-----
From: FBruce38@aol.com [mailto:FBruce38@aol.com]
Sent: Thursday, June 28, 2001 9:51 AM
To: twhitson@UDel.Edu; ematusov@UDel.Edu
Cc: mcole@weber.ucsd.edu; xmca@weber.ucsd.edu; ch-sig@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [ch-sig] RE: dewey sig
I'm a potential new participant in your "group" and have been following
the
conversation, without comment, for several months -- wondering if it might
be
appropriate for an ordinary unpublished college instructor to make a
comment
or two. However, after reading the last several email, I could not resist:
I am interested in the recent suggestion that the next conference focus on
".
. . Socio-cultural (Vygotsky et al.) and Pragmati(sti)c (Peirce, Dewey,
Mead)? . . . NOT putting the focus on best exegesis of these thinkers,
but
rather what are the concerns we have for which their contributions are
helpful to us, and how so, and how are we enlightened by the convergences
and
divergences among them?"
My interest/concern is in applying Vygotsky's thought to the enterprise of
providing quality (whatever that is) classroom experiences for
"adults-in-college," that is, non-traditional, over age 25, working adults
who have returned to college. I am attempting to join Vygotsky, Dewey,
and
Jean Lave's ideas (and to some extent Mead's) to form communities of
practice
and create zones of assistance for people who have been out of the
classrooms
of higher education for 10, 20, 30, and sometimes 40 years. For me, this
is
one of the great challenges in education and I'm interested in the views
of
people outside the regular story-line that comes from the work of
so-called
"adult educators."
I am a converted radical behaviorist/instructional systems designer who
has
been in and out of the university as a student and/or adjunct instructor
for
40 years; one who completed a University of Virginia Ph.D. (Social
Foundations with Eric Bredo) last year at age 62. I decided to join the
conversation because I'm interested in knowing if there's a place for a
person like me in your group. I hope to attend your next conference.
Bruce
******************************************
F. Bruce Herrington, Ph.D.
Coordinator, Math & Writing Labs, Dept. of Humanities
Tift College of Education of Mercer University
137G, Douglas County Center, Extended Education Program
975 Blairs Bridge Road
Lithia Springs, GA 30122
Voice: 770.577.0832
Email: fbruce38@aol.com
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Sun Jul 01 2001 - 01:01:46 PDT