XMCA Mail 2002_02: Re: expansive cycle

>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.
> >>>
> >>>
> >
> >
>
>

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