Forgive-me if I intromiss myself in your conversation with...=20
(Nate?)
But, I'm very interested in this issue.
Judy Diamondstone wrote:>=20
> If Nate's memory serves & U.S. kids' understandings were more "everyday=
" in their formation while the Russians' concepts more=20
"scientific" & "rigid" that suggests that flexibility is a function of=20
pre-scientific (in V's terms) concepts=20
First,I understand that concepts formation, as in americans as in=20
russians persons, is a process in which concrete (everyday) and abstract=20
(scientific or social) concepts interact, dialetically.
Second, that in Vygotsky's time there was not something like a =20
prototipic and a theoric conception of concepts. So, although he had=20
approached concepts understanding in a classical conception way, there=20
are many interesting passages in his texts that point to a more flexible=20
way of understanding them (paticularly when he refers to the difference=20
between meaning and sense of words, to the coletive construction of=20
meaning within a specific context)
i.e., understandings that are more embedded in one's "own" sense-making=20
are more available for use in more different settings and ways. Does=20
that jibe with others' understanding of "flexibility" ? (I think it=20
challenges the cognitive psychologists' view, no? - i.e., where=20
"flexibility" is described in terms of functioning within a given=20
conceptual system/ theory)
Third, the 'double stimulation', as I know, had been used to observ =20
hipotetic abstract concepts like "bik", "lag" - names=20
arbitrarially attached to solid geometric group of figures. And it=20
indeed was very helpfull to demostrate how since a "sincretic thinnking"=20
children goes to "thinking in complex" and, finally, reach "conceptual=20
or categorial thinking", and to point the main role of words in thinking=20
process, and that a word meaning develops along ontog=EAnesis.
To Vygotsky, I understand, social and everyday concepts were=20
very interconnected one another: something like an up movement since the=20
last ones and a down movement from the first.
But, in fact, everyday concepts have a definitivelly concrete and=20
touchible dimension on contrary to social ones.=20
>=20
> >From memory, one of the comparative studies was
> >between U.S. and Russian students with his conclusion being many of th=
e
> >concepts occurred in U.S kids more in the lines of everyday concepts, =
while
> >with Russian students the social context was different (more rigid) an=
d
> >those concepts did not occur as everyday concepts.
>=20
> >
> >I am reminded of a story Gary Price told me when he spent a day in Ven=
ger's
> >laboratory school. There was one little boy who was looking so carefu=
lly
> >at a scheme of a geometric object to complete his drawing. Every few
> >minutes he would look very carefully at the scheme and continue his wo=
rk.
> >Venger proudly mentioned how well the boy was using the scheme (sign) =
to
> >mediate his own work. Well, the funny thing is that the boy had made
> >something entirely different and it did not look like the scheme at al=
l.
> >The scheme was definately mediating the boys drawing, but not the way
> >Venger intended.
> >
> >Nate
> >
> >
> >----- Original Message -----
> >From: Bill Barowy <wbarowy who-is-at mail.lesley.edu>
> >To: <xmca who-is-at weber.ucsd.edu>
> >Sent: Friday, July 23, 1999 8:44 PM
> >Subject: double stimulation?
> >
> >
> >> Folks,
> >>
> >> Can you suggest any references for recent studies that have used the
> >method of "double stimulation" (LSV, Thought and Language) to study co=
ncept
> >formation? I am especially interested in a comparative study, that op=
posed
> >this method to an other.
> >>
> >> Thanks in advance,
> >>
> >> Bill Barowy, Associate Professor
> >> Technology in Education
> >> Lesley College, 31 Everett Street, Cambridge, MA 02138-2790
> >> Phone: 617-349-8168 / Fax: 617-349-8169
> >> http://www.lesley.edu/faculty/wbarowy/Barowy.html
> >> _______________________
> >> "One of life's quiet excitements is to stand somewhat apart from you=
rself
> >> and watch yourself softly become the author of something beautiful.=
"
> >> [Norman Maclean in "A river runs through it."]
> >>
> >>
> >
> >
>=20
> Judith Diamondstone (732) 932-7496 Ext. 352
> Graduate School of Education
> Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey
> 10 Seminary Place
> New Brunswick, NJ 08901-1183
>=20
> Eternity is in love with the productions of time - Wm Blake