It is quite interesting entering into a research programme, finding out the
connections in the actor networks. I recall having met Denis in 1991 and
having a discussion about learning. I was coming from a constructivist
background and Denis startled me with the statement that he viewed knowledge
as being 'out there', not in individuals. Subsequently, intensive
discussions with Catalina Laserna (how could it be otherwise?) led me to a
copernican reconceptualization which can be well captured by a student when
she began to understand special relativity " Oh, OHHHH, WOW!". :-)
I am especially interested in reading details of work connecting AT to
traditional and non-traditional forms of learning and teaching intervention,
and welcome any information, report form included. Judy's comments about the
math curriculum being under-specified is thought provoking - is it because
one intended purpose is to be inquiry driven? As I design curricula I am
always iterating around how much should be specified in an inquiry setting -
pilot testing indicates a lot of variability in classrooms. Judy, would you
mind unpacking further "the distinction between motives and goals provides an
important tool for formative evaluations of a new endeavor, as long as the
researcher accounts for the object of joint activity from the perspective of
different participants..." Are you saying that an ethnographic analysis is
necessary? Inquiry leaves open the opportunity for emerging motive in joint
activity, which is nearly impossible to predict, but for which one can
account in retrospect after a lot of testing, in a lot of representative
sites.
Then there is the issue of teachers adapting curricula to their own
classrooms.... AT provides insights, but seemingly no design principles...
Bill
--------------------------------------
Date: 8/2/97 5:31 PM
To: Bill Barowy
From: xmca who-is-at weber.ucsd.edu
Bill-- I liked Judy's answer concerning AT as a guide to practice of creating
new forms of activity designed for particular socio-ecological-cultural
niches. What has most impressed me about the results over the past 6 years
(the account in CP ends about 1993) is the incredible VARIETY of
re-inventions
of the activities. In the past year the number and variety of such efforts
has increased several fold and I am still reeling from the job of trying
to describe/understand what has been happpening.
This work exists only in report forms, with lots of detail that most
people would not be interested in. But the general methodological issues may
be of general interest.
I didn't know that Jan Hawkins was editing the book on design experiments
with Allan, of if I knew I forgot. Twenty years ago she was a member of lchc.
And of course, so was Denis, who also worked with Allan. Amazing to watch
the actor networks over time!
mike
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Subject: Re: Design Exper. Meth. vs. pos
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