Thanks very much, Nate, for doing some housekeeping on the xmca discussion
space so that Helena's paper(s) are highlighted.
Today I have finally found a few minutes between "have to's" to do some
"get to's" the first of which was to read Helena's first, briefer paper
on considering activity theory. I have printed the paper on "What Happens
when Training Becomes Organizing" and hope there is some "get to time"
left in the day.
Helena-- You ask specifically for some feedback on the shorter piece from
xmca, which is what I have been able to get through so far. So here are
a couple of comments that may be useful.
First, I think you do an admirable job of presenting the overall characteristics
of the family of approaches associated with a cultural-historical, activity
approach, and you do it with great economy.
Just a few small, and may one substantial suggestion.
1. Not everyone believes that AT is derived from Vygotskian theory. There is
a proclivity to make this connection among XMCA members, but it is not
universal and is fiercely contested in Russia.
2. In the para describing AT as developed by Yrjo, I lost my way when you
got to describing "a three dimensional unit of analysis..... the rest of the
sentence doesn't parse for me. The next sentence does, but I got lost along
the way.
3. Are rules embedded in language or embodied in language (in general, I
was allowed to re-admire Bill Blanton's summary by the way you used it-
thanks).
4. I am not sure AT is adaptable to ANY scale. Organization and network
of organizations appear currently to be the outter limit of what can be
analyzed with more than handwaving.... counter examples welcome!
5. In addition to the 5 reasons for considering the use of AT, I would
add that in the hands of skilled users like Yrjo it provides a way for
people create new possibilities of action for themselves. You quote
Arne in these words, but don't bring it forward
Now, one "have to" to go, and I get to read your longer paper!
Thanks very much.
mike
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