TimeS for sure, Bruce.
LSV and four time scales?
Where in the world is Jay Lemke? If you-all could find me anywhere in the
world,
perhaps you get him to, so to speak, materialize for us?
mike
On 10/11/05, Bruce Robinson <bruce.rob@btinternet.com> wrote:
>
> Shouldn't it be 'times' rather than time? David Harvey, Daniel Bensaid,
> Roy
> Bhaskar and others have all recently taken up the idea that different
> scales
> of time are superimposed on one another in a multi-level ontology? And our
> own Jay Lemke, of course. (For Harvey and Bensaid this is a necessary and
> important feature of the way capitalism operates that gives rise to a
> number
> of contradictions.)
>
> Does an activity system operate at just one of these levels or across more
> than one? If the latter (as I think must be the case), how can they ben
> integrated into the analysis?
>
> Bruce Robinson (like bb hoping I can half brew or even half bake..)
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "bb" <xmca-whoever@comcast.net>
> To: <mcole@weber.ucsd.edu>; "eXtended Mind, Culture, Activity"
> <xmca@weber.ucsd.edu>; "eXtended Mind, Culture, Activity"
> <xmca@weber.ucsd.edu>
> Sent: Monday, October 10, 2005 6:06 PM
> Subject: [xmca] time and triangulation
>
>
> > MC wrote:
> >
> > Most
> >> famously,
> >> it [extended triangle] does not represent time.
> >
> > I played around several years ago with creating ways that a diagram
> could
> > show time and thought "why not just use time itself?". So I came up with
> > this animation for someone moving from one institution to another and
> > back, embodying and enacting change in both places. When I pushed the
> > thinking, it became plausible for the person also to be mapped as an
> > extended expanding and retracting triangle, at least in the case study i
> > was doing.
> >
> > http://www.lesley.edu/faculty/wbarowy/Crossing.gif
> >
> > It's not so far fetched, really. There are precedents. Feynman invented
> > some diagrams to show quantum mechanical interactions in which time is
> > implicit in following pathways. In the situation described above, the
> > path loops as the person moves in back and forth from one workplace to
> the
> > other.
> >
> > The problem with diagrams is that a shared semantics must exist for the
> > diagram to be communicative, as is the case with written and spoken
> > language. The advantage of a diagram is that it can break from the
> > spatial directionality of print. In Yrjo's extended triangle, I take it
> > to mean, at one level of description, that activity can be meaningfully
> > parsed into 6 interrelated, and somewhat distinct, elements. To do so
> for
> > a person means the same thing, and gives rise to thoughts of wartofsky's
> > artifacts, multi-tasking (division of labor?) and "community" being the
> > relations to other people. At the next level one uses the spatial
> > relationship of the six elements to investigate contradictions, and by
> > extension, so it does for a person.
> >
> > I do hope this is the place where one can (de)still half brew?
> >
> > bb
> >
> >
> >
> >> The "famous triangle" is an abstractoin, Martin. It does not, qua
> >> abstraction,
> >> represent different kinds of objects, social rules, commnities, etc.
> >> Rather, I assme that in any instance of its use,
> >> the analyst
> >> must carry out an historically grounded analysis of specific forms of
> >> activity and the way
> >> in which the constituent analytic categories are embodied and undergo
> >> change
> >> over time.
> >> Something about rising to concrete may be involved.
> >>
> >> Soviet scholars could write all they want to about kinds of division of
> >> labor and alenation so long
> >> as they were writing about capitalism. They could not do so about their
> >> own
> >> country which was,
> >> as you know, on its way to becoming a worker's paradise, or perhaps
> >> already
> >> was one, so that
> >> any claims about alienation were slurs upon the state.
> >>
> >> mike
> >>
> >> On 10/8/05, Martin Packer <packer@duq.edu> wrote:
> >> >
> >> > I'm not sure that the collective hunt really illustrates a division
> of
> >> > labor
> >> > as Marx viewed it. It certainly is very different from the division
> of
> >> > labor
> >> > in an industrial society, in which workers paradoxically are brought
> >> > together in a social process of production, yet experience themselves
> >> > as
> >> > isolated individuals (working on an assembly line is a typical
> >> > example).
> >> > That being so, if Leont'ev bases his concept of activity on the
> >> > primeval
> >> > collective hunt - but perhaps I'm mistaken here? - one wonders how
> well
> >> > the
> >> > concept can grasp alienated labor. For one thing, appeal to the
> >> > consciousness of the industrial worker is tricky, since alienated
> labor
> >> > requires/gives rise to false consciousness.
> >> >
> >> > I'd welcome some instruction on how activity theory deals with this:
> I
> >> > recall a fragment of conversation in Seville where the claim was made
> >> > that
> >> > the famous triangle doesn't distinguish between labor as the honest
> >> > toil
> >> > to
> >> > produce food and clothing, and as modern alienated wage labor. Is
> that
> >> > indeed the case?
> >> >
> >> > bb doesn't recall Vygotsky writing about the division of labor, and
> >> > coincidently I've been searching for this myself. There's a passing
> >> > reference to "the class organization of production" in 'Educational
> >> > Psychology.' But in the 1930 'The Socialist Alteration of Man'
> Vygotsky
> >> > writes about the division of labor quite extensively, citing Marx
> >> > frequently. For example:
> >> >
> >> > "In his classic descriptions of the early period of capitalism, Marx
> >> > frequently dwells on the subject of the corruption of the human
> >> > personality
> >> > which is brought about by the growth of capitalist industrial
> society.
> >> > On
> >> > one extreme end of society, the division between intellectual and
> >> > physical
> >> > labour, the separation between town and country, the ruthless
> >> > exploitation
> >> > of child and female labour, poverty and the impossibility of a free
> and
> >> > full
> >> > development of full human potential, and on the other extreme,
> idleness
> >> > and
> >> > luxury; not only does all this result in the single human type
> becoming
> >> > differentiated and fragmented into several separate social class
> types
> >> > which
> >> > stand in sharp contrast to one another, but also in the corruption
> and
> >> > distortion of the human personality and its subjection to unsuitable,
> >> > one-sided development within all these different variants of the
> human
> >> > type."
> >> >
> >> > But Vygotsky argues here that even Marx saw a positive side to labor
> in
> >> > large scale industry: that, removed from a capitalist economy, such
> >> > labor
> >> > can expand human capabilities. One presumes that he believed that the
> >> > socialist Soviet state was heading in that direction.
> >> >
> >> > Martin
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > On 10/8/05 8:37 PM, "bb" <xmca-whoever@comcast.net> wrote:
> >> >
> >> > > Ana, Steve, hopefully i understand the division of labor (dl) as
> yrjo
> >> > > intended, and i think i do, because it's in the manner of the
> >> > > collective
> >> > hunt,
> >> > > and, in his change lab workshop in goteborg, I had the distinct
> >> > impression
> >> > > that his formulation of chat with extended triangles, historical
> >> > analysis,
> >> > > expansive learning, was around systems with these well formed
> >> > > elements.
> >> > This
> >> > > makes a great deal of sense considering his approaches to
> >> > > developmental
> >> > work
> >> > > research.
> >> > >
> >> > > Conciousness as an ingredient comes from early on in marx's
> relation
> >> > > of
> >> > > conciousness and life, i tihnk, and later, but more productivley
> for
> >> > > me,
> >> > > Leont'ev wrote about as conciousness and activity. There is an
> >> > > article
> >> > with
> >> > > this title, but i recall reading between the words of having read
> and
> >> > reread
> >> > > as much of Leont'ev as i could.
> >> > >
> >> > > If I couple the above with my recollection that nowhere have i seen
> >> > vygotsky
> >> > > writing about division of labor, then it doesn't make sense to talk
> >> > > in
> >> > an
> >> > > orthodox manner about the zoped of a toddler and an adult involving
> a
> >> > division
> >> > > of labor -- although your notion, Ana, DOES make a lot of sense to
> me
> >> > when I
> >> > > open up to new possibilities. I think it's just not explicitly in
> >> > > yrjo's
> >> > > formulation. But so, having explicitly made that demarcation, this
> is
> >> > where
> >> > > we can be clear that you Ana, make your contributions in the
> >> > > evolution
> >> > of the
> >> > > study of human activity.
> >> > >
> >> > > Aside, what I recall having as one insight reading LBE is that Yjro
> >> > describes
> >> > > a zoped between two systems of activity -- a very different and
> >> > > amazing
> >> > thing.
> >> > >
> >> > > There are other possible parallels that I see Ana -- such as the
> >> > separation of
> >> > > motive and object that happens in the collective hunt, arising
> >> > > withthe
> >> > > division of labor, and the suspension of immediate need that
> vygotsky
> >> > > describes in social play, where there is in some sense a fluid,
> >> > > dynamic
> >> > > division of labor. Perhaps I'm just conjecturing here, or I'm
> >> > > thinking
> >> > of
> >> > > what bodrova and leong have described.
> >> > >
> >> > > Anyway, I think the points Steve made are where I wanted to go, as
> >> > > Mike
> >> > said,
> >> > > the map's not the territory, and steve and I could be observing the
> >> > > very
> >> > same
> >> > > situations, coming up with different analyses because of the tools
> we
> >> > employed
> >> > > and our differences in intent. One of us could have a street map
> and
> >> > > the
> >> > > other a topo.
> >> > >
> >> > > bb
> >> > >
> >> > >
> >> > >
> >> > >
> >> > >> Bill,
> >> > >> a very interesting point! Showed me how different I understood the
> >> > >> "division of labor" concept than the one developed by Yrjö. I
> >> > >> started
> >> > >> from Vygotsky's notion of joint activity in which the more
> >> > >> experienced
> >> > >> (often an adult) partner caries out more and often almost every
> >> > >> operation of the activity, while the less experienced (child in
> >> > >> development) carries out small parts of the activity. With
> >> > >> development
> >> > >> this proportion changes, so that the child is able to take over
> more
> >> > and
> >> > >> more complex aspects of an activity, until, one day, the child is
> >> > >> able
> >> > >> to carry out the whole activity (if possible) or at least to
> perform
> >> > any
> >> > >> part of the activity as her/his more experienced partner. It is
> not
> >> > >> necessary to "know" what role you are playing, nor to have a
> >> > "knowledge"
> >> > >> of the fulls scope of an activity, to participate in it.
> >> > >> If you think of language development as a joint activity, then, in
> >> > >> the
> >> > >> beginning, the child uses various sounds to express various
> dialogic
> >> > >> tasks (ask for something, call, laugh, demand, protest etc) but
> they
> >> > are
> >> > >> not "words". The adult (or more developed participant in the
> >> > >> dialogue)
> >> > >> often "translates" these sounds into the possible utterances as
> they
> >> > >> should have sounded in a more developed form. It is like the adult
> >> > >> is
> >> > >> doing all the work in the dialogue, or most of the linguistic
> work.
> >> > >> And
> >> > >> then the child starts using some "words" for some dialogic
> >> > >> functions,
> >> > >> taking over some of the "work" of speaking. etc.
> >> > >> So, to bring this back to your example with the day care. There
> are
> >> > many
> >> > >> things going on in a day care, not just solitary play. On the
> >> > >> contrary,
> >> > >> the life of a three year old child is full of relationships and
> full
> >> > >> of
> >> > >> discoveries related to the world of people and the material world.
> >> > There
> >> > >> are joint activities in which everyone has their role, both in
> play
> >> > >> and
> >> > >> in other activities: lunch, nap time, story telling, going out,
> etc.
> >> > >> There are rules about what is to be done at what time, in which
> >> > >> space,
> >> > >> with which toy, with which people. There are disputes about what
> >> > belongs
> >> > >> to whom, and who took what and what does it mean to share and
> >> > >> how....
> >> > >> Activity Systems Theory is absolutely necessary to analyze such a
> >> > >> complex setting as every day life and development in a day care.
> In
> >> > many
> >> > >> ways, a day care center is as complex as a factory in which people
> >> > >> use
> >> > >> wrenches and pipes to make machines. In fact, I think that it is
> >> > >> easier
> >> > >> to learn to work in a plant like Steve's, than to learn to work
> with
> >> > >> children in a day care. (Although that is relative to what is
> easier
> >> > >> to
> >> > >> each one of us).
> >> > >> This is a fascinating point: division of labor (roles) in and its
> >> > >> significance and meaning in development.
> >> > >> Ana
> >> > >>
> >> > >>
> >> > >> bb wrote:
> >> > >>
> >> > >>> I appreciate Steve's practical follow up and the chance to
> clarify.
> >> > >>> I
> >> > too
> >> > >>> have
> >> > >> used an extension to put more muscle into my pipe wrench when
> >> > >> working
> >> > on my
> >> > >> home
> >> > >> steam heating system, having watched my father apply this strategy
> >> > >> to
> >> > the
> >> > >> track
> >> > >> gear on his bulldozer when I was much younger.
> >> > >>>
> >> > >>> But let me work with specifics; by example. I greatly appreciate
> >> > Engestrom's
> >> > >> activity systems theory and its application to institutional and
> >> > >> inter-institutional transformation or resistance thereof. It's six
> >> > >> main
> >> > >> elements parse activity into interrelated elements where those
> >> > >> elements
> >> > are
> >> > >> well
> >> > >> formed, e.g. a division of labor, as in the collective hunt
> wrtitten
> >> > >> by
> >> > >> Leont'ev, that being one of the paradigm cases in Learning by
> >> > >> Expanding
> >> > >> (LBE).
> >> > >>>
> >> > >>> But what if one is interested in the day to day development of 3
> >> > >>> year
> >> > old
> >> > >> children in nursery schools? There, one sees children in solitary
> >> > >> play
> >> > -- no
> >> > >> division of labor to speak of among the children, no understanding
> >> > >> by
> >> > the
> >> > >> children of their roles, if they had any, no conscious engaging in
> a
> >> > >> collective
> >> > >> object by the chlidren. Activity Systems Theory does not purchase
> >> > >> much
> >> > here,
> >> > >> microgenetically. Ahh... but if one is interested in the
> development
> >> > >> of
> >> > >> nursery schools, and how that historical development shapes the
> >> > >> context
> >> > of
> >> > >> the
> >> > >> children's play -- what rules the adults obey and enforce, what
> toys
> >> > exist,
> >> > >> what
> >> > >> the caregivers must do to be licensed? Or if one is interested in
> >> > changing
> >> > >> the
> >> > >> nature of nursery schools? Then AST methods described in LBE could
> >> > yield
> >> > >> large
> >> > >> gains.
> >> > >>>
> >> > >>> It's more like cutting diamonds (
> >> > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diamond_cut):
> >> > >>>
> >> > >>> The rule (following cleavage planes)
> >> > >>> The tool (the cutting steel wedge)
> >> > >>> The jewel (the outcome)
> >> > >>>
> >> > >>>
> >> > >>> bb
> >> > >>>
> >> > >>>
> >> > >>>
> >> > >>>
> >> > >>>> I appreciate Bill's (bb's) comments on using the appropriate
> tool
> >> > >>>> for
> >> > >>>> the job. Bill seems to imply that Marxism is appropriate for
> >> > >>>> certain
> >> > >>>> kinds of heavy lifting, but other tools are more suited for more
> >> > >>>> delicate and intricate work. I happen to run into the kind of
> >> > >>>> situation that Bill uses as an analogy fairly frequently in my
> >> > >>>> line
> >> > >>>> of work. We use impact wrenches to bolt down and unbolt large
> >> > >>>> steel
> >> > >>>> plates that hold our clamping fixtures (I work in a large
> machine
> >> > >>>> shop that mills the parts (spars) that become the long
> >> > >>>> infrastructures of jetliner wings). Sometimes a bolt is on too
> >> > >>>> tight
> >> > >>>> for even an impact wrench to loosen, so we get a breaker bar,
> just
> >> > >>>> as
> >> > >>>> Bill suggests to use when needed, to muscle it off. In rare
> cases
> >> > >>>> where that amount of force is still not sufficient, we go find a
> >> > >>>> long
> >> > >>>> pipe that fits over the breaker bar, and apply that extra
> >> > >>>> leverage. If I follow Bill's reasoning, perhaps Bill would
> compare
> >> > >>>> such mechanical extensions of the breaker bar to politically
> >> > >>>> employing Leninist and Trotskyist extensions of Marxism ... in
> >> > >>>> cases
> >> > >>>> where the old rulers ... are particularly intransigent ... :-))
> >> > >>>>
> >> > >>>> ~ Steve
> >> > >>>>
> >> > >>>>
> >> > >>>>
> >> > >>>> At 09:12 PM 10/5/2005 +0000, you wrote:
> >> > >>>>
> >> > >>>>
> >> > >>>>> Interesting comments, Julian, may it be the case that never the
> >> > >>>>> twain shall meet?
> >> > >>>>>
> >> > >>>>> To indulge for a brief email, for which I may be soundly
> >> > >>>>> criticized, my interest is in understanding learning and
> >> > >>>>> development in particular circumstances, and activity theory,
> >> > >>>>> dialectics, marxist critique, etc, are tools toward furthering
> >> > >>>>> that
> >> > >>>>> understanding. Perhaps this is my own ontogeny brought about by
> >> > >>>>> mostly american influences and resources. So then, on the one
> >> > >>>>> hand, in this perspective, not being dialectical enough, or
> >> > >>>>> marxist enough, or being faithful to the originators, doesn't
> >> > >>>>> really seem a reasonable measure of the quality of someone's
> >> > >>>>> research. In analogy to a mechanic, who finds he is working on
> a
> >> > >>>>> car with hand tightened wheel lugs, it would make no sense for
> >> > >>>>> someone to say the mechanic is not using the "breaker bar"
> >> > >>>>> enough,
> >> > >>>>> since that tool is not appropriate in this circumstance.
> >> > >>>>>
> >> > >>>>> On the other hand, I do really think it's important to well
> >> > >>>>> understand the original works, and to critically mark where and
> >> > >>>>> when
> >> > >>>>> departures are made from them. And it would seem departures
> must
> >> > >>>>> be
> >> > >>>>> made for there to be a continuing (r)evolution. This might be
> the
> >> > >>>>> razor that slices superficial from contributing studies, e.g.
> >> > >>>>> those
> >> > >>>>> that illuminate the human condition and further activity
> >> > >>>>> theory. Granted, I've seen papers submitted for publication
> that
> >> > >>>>> have used AT superficially, apparently (I'm guessing) to
> leverage
> >> > >>>>> AT
> >> > >>>>> for a publication (AT becoming the research buzz). I'd further
> >> > >>>>> guess that a cultural-historical critique of higher education
> and
> >> > >>>>> its promotion incentives would reveal contradictions between
> the
> >> > >>>>> object of furthering activity theory and
> >> > >>>>> professors/researchers/educators/etc. personal motives. Perhaps
> >> > >>>>> to
> >> > >>>>> continue the analogy, we are sometimes seeing mechanics trying
> to
> >> > >>>>> use "breaker bars" where breaker bars are not the appropriate
> >> > >>>>> tool.
> >> > >>>>>
> >> > >>>>> bb
> >> > >>>>>
> >> > >>>>>
> >> > >>>>>
> >> > >>>>>
> >> > >>>>>
> >> > >>>>>> Date sent: Mon, 03 Oct 2005 15:19:15 -0400
> >> > >>>>>> From: Ana Marjanovic-Shane <ana@zmajcenter.org>
> >> > >>>>>> To: Xmca <xmca@weber.ucsd.edu>
> >> > >>>>>> Subject: [xmca] ISCAR - Sevilla 2005 -- Theoretical
> >> > >>>>>>
> >> > >>>>>>
> >> > >>>>> Concepts in
> >> > >>>>>
> >> > >>>>>
> >> > >>>>>> CHAT and
> >> > >>>>>> their connestion to physical concepts and knowledge
> >> > >>>>>> Send reply to: "eXtended Mind, Culture, Activity"
> >> > >>>>>>
> >> > >>>>>>
> >> > >>>>> <xmca@weber.ucsd.edu>
> >> > >>>>>
> >> > >>>>>
> >> > >>>>>> <mailto:xmca-request@weber.ucsd.edu?subject=unsubscribe>
> >> > >>>>>> <mailto:xmca-request@weber.ucsd.edu?subject=subscribe>
> >> > >>>>>>
> >> > >>>>>> Ana
> >> > >>>>>>
> >> > >>>>>> I will try two concepts: each seems to mark a conceptual
> >> > >>>>>> dichotomy
> >> > >>>>>>
> >> > >>>>>> 1. One concept that seems to divide the ISCAR/socio-cultural
> >> > >>>>>> community is its relation to Marxism.
> >> > >>>>>>
> >> > >>>>>> For some of the Marxists (or maybe for some eg michael Roth? -
> >> > >>>>>> the dialectics is the crucial 'line') , the version of AT
> known
> >> > >>>>>> to
> >> > the
> >> > >>>>>> West through Yrjo Engestrom's account is regarded as not
> Marxist
> >> > >>>>>> (or maybe not Marxist enough).
> >> > >>>>>>
> >> > >>>>>> I felt myself drawn towards this critique of Yrjo's
> >> > >>>>>> site/approach
> >> > >>>>>> when I saw it being 'applied' in fairly routine
> >> > >>>>>> (non-dialectical)
> >> > way to
> >> > >>>>>> an 'analysis' of the directors of sports-and-drug centres.
> There
> >> > was
> >> > >>>>>> no critical analysis of why sports-people use drugs, the
> >> > >>>>>> commodification involved in the Olympic industry etc.
> >> > >>>>>>
> >> > >>>>>> The theme was there also in David Bakhurst's (and others)
> talks
> >> > >>>>>> in
> >> > >>>>>> a different way: he and others suggested that many of the
> users
> >> > >>>>>> of
> >> > >>>>>> the (CH-) AT literature (Yrjo got criticised again) are not
> >> > faithful to
> >> > >>>>>> the originators: eg Hegel, Ilyenkov, Bakhtin, Leont'ev ...
> >> > >>>>>>
> >> > >>>>>> (But then I was not impressed by his example of a meaningless
> >> > >>>>>> 'object' of activity: I believe he worried about the sense in
> >> > >>>>>> which
> >> > >>>>>> there was an 'object' of the Russian Revolution. I found this
> >> > >>>>>> extraordinary for a philosopher who has read all this
> Marxism.)
> >> > >>>>>>
> >> > >>>>>> On the other hand I was struck by the readiness of Yrjo in his
> >> > >>>>>> own
> >> > >>>>>> paper/symposium to abandon the familiar model of the AS
> >> > >>>>>> (triangles) when the need arises (I hope I understood that
> >> > >>>>>> right- I
> >> > >>>>>> mean when he talks of wildfire activity).
> >> > >>>>>>
> >> > >>>>>> 2. There seems to be a division between those concerned mainly
> >> > >>>>>> with identity (and discourse/positioning/subjectivity) and
> those
> >> > >>>>>> concerned more with practice (and activity/system). Some of us
> >> > >>>>>> are focussing on working out the dialectics/relations between
> >> > >>>>>> the
> >> > >>>>>> two (see also Harry Daniels' and other papers).
> >> > >>>>>>
> >> > >>>>>> We (some of my colleagues here in Manchester and I) are
> working
> >> > >>>>>> on the theme of discourse-and-practice (you can find our
> papers
> >> > >>>>>> to
> >> > >>>>>> sevilla at
> >> > >>>>>> http://www.education.man.ac.uk/lta/ISCAR2005/symposium/index.h
> >> > >>>>>> tm
> >> > >>>>>>
> >> > >>>>>> and would like to hear from others similarly interested in
> this.
> >> > >>>>>>
> >> > >>>>>> Julian
> >> > >>>>>>
> >> > >>>>>> Also BTW some more papers from the Sept Manchester
> >> > >>>>>> conference on the themes of community, identity and transition
> >> > >>>>>> are
> >> > >>>>>> at:
> >> > >>>>>> http://orgs.man.ac.uk/projects/include/experiment/sctigcon.htm
> >> > >>>>>>
> >> > >>>>>>
> >> > >>>>>>
> >> > >>>>>>> This is a multi-part message in MIME format.
> >> > >>>>>>> --------------050203030509000100050703
> >> > >>>>>>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
> >> > >>>>>>> Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
> >> > >>>>>>>
> >> > >>>>>>> ISCAR in Sevilla, September 2005:
> >> > >>>>>>>
> >> > >>>>>>> In a conference of this scope, where one cannot hope to have
> >> > attended=20
> >> > >>>>>>> even one 10th of all the presentations, it is hard to give
> any
> >> > >>>>>>> overall=20
> >> > >>>>>>> evaluations or even impressions. But, XMCA members who did
> not
> >> > come
> >> > >>>>>>> to=20
> >> > >>>>>>> Sevilla, ought to have some notion of what went on there for
> 5
> >> > days
> >> > >>>>>>> in=20
> >> > >>>>>>> September 2005. So those of us who were there really need to
> >> > >>>>>>> put
> >> > our=20
> >> > >>>>>>> thoughts together and give some descriptions of what went on.
> >> > >>>>>>> That
> >> > is=20
> >> > >>>>>>> not easy. There are different aspects one can write about,
> >> > different=20
> >> > >>>>>>> themes that ran through presentations, different aspects
> of=20
> >> > >>>>>>> organization. I will be working from my notes -- taken in
> haste
> >> > >>>>>>> during=20
> >> > >>>>>>> the workshops, from the abstracts we received and from some
> >> > other=20
> >> > >>>>>>> sources people gave us (handouts, web pages). It would be
> very
> >> > >>>>>>>
> >> > >>>>>>>
> >> > >>>>> useful if=20
> >> > >>>>>
> >> > >>>>>
> >> > >>>>>>> someone at the XMCA headquarters could put the abstracts in
> pdf
> >> > >>>>>>> format=20
> >> > >>>>>>> on the server so that everyone could have an access to them.
> >> > (Mike,
> >> > >>>>>>> is=20
> >> > >>>>>>> it possible to organize it?).
> >> > >>>>>>>
> >> > >>>>>>> The conference was held in 3 buildings of the Department of
> >> > >>>>>>>
> >> > >>>>>>>
> >> > >>>>> Psychology,=20
> >> > >>>>>
> >> > >>>>>
> >> > >>>>>>> Sociology and Philosophy, at the University of Sevilla. Those
> >> > >>>>>>> are
> >> > new=20
> >> > >>>>>>> buildings (not part of the University main venue in the old
> >> > Tobacco=20
> >> > >>>>>>> Factory), built with inner balconies and great visibility, so
> >> > >>>>>>>
> >> > >>>>>>>
> >> > >>>>> they were=20
> >> > >>>>>
> >> > >>>>>
> >> > >>>>>>> easy to navigate. The workshops were held in auditoriums,
> most
> >> > >>>>>>>
> >> > >>>>>>>
> >> > >>>>> of which=20
> >> > >>>>>
> >> > >>>>>
> >> > >>>>>>> had a classic layout: a podium with a blackboard and
> projection
> >> > >>>>>>>
> >> > >>>>>>>
> >> > >>>>> screen,=20
> >> > >>>>>
> >> > >>>>>
> >> > >>>>>>> and then rows of seats and desks. Everything fixed --
> >> > >>>>>>> unmovable.
> >> > >>>>>>> There=20
> >> > >>>>>>> were just a few rooms without fixed benches -- with panels
> and
> >> > >>>>>>> chairs.=20
> >> > >>>>>>> They were used for Poster sessions. My first fear was that
> the
> >> > first=20
> >> > >>>>>>> part of our session was assigned a room with fixed benches.
> We
> >> > would=20
> >> > >>>>>>> have to move it -- since it was an interactive drama workshop
> >> > where=20
> >> > >>>>>>> people have to have space to move, group and regroups and
> >> > play!!=20
> >> > >>>>>>> Fortunately, it was not: we were given one of the poster
> >> > >>>>>>> rooms!!
> >> > >>>>>>>
> >> > >>>>>>> We usually don't consciously think of the space and its
> >> > >>>>>>> qualities
> >> > >>>>>>> when=20
> >> > >>>>>>> we participate in activities with intellectual content. But
> it
> >> > is=20
> >> > >>>>>>> important. If our beliefs about the mediated quality of
> >> > intellectual=20
> >> > >>>>>>> growth and functioning are true, then we have to think about
> >> > >>>>>>> the
> >> > >>>>>>> space=20
> >> > >>>>>>> as mediated and mediating. European universities (at least
> >> > >>>>>>>
> >> > >>>>>>>
> >> > >>>>> three of them=20
> >> > >>>>>
> >> > >>>>>
> >> > >>>>>>> I know, and now Sevilla) are still mediated by another
> paradigm
> >> > about=20
> >> > >>>>>>> intellectual processing and education. A paradigm that
> Vygotsky
> >> > >>>>>>>
> >> > >>>>>>>
> >> > >>>>> started=20
> >> > >>>>>
> >> > >>>>>
> >> > >>>>>>> to question 100 years ago. It takes much more to have this
> >> > >>>>>>>
> >> > >>>>>>>
> >> > >>>>> understanding=20
> >> > >>>>>
> >> > >>>>>
> >> > >>>>>>> of ourselves trickle down to those who plan and build schools
> >> > and=20
> >> > >>>>>>> universities.
> >> > >>>>>>>
> >> > >>>>>>> Participants came from many parts of the world. But not from
> >> > >>>>>>>
> >> > >>>>>>>
> >> > >>>>> everywhere.=20
> >> > >>>>>
> >> > >>>>>
> >> > >>>>>>> I was happy to see people from Africa -- some of them from
> >> > >>>>>>>
> >> > >>>>>>>
> >> > >>>>> Rwanda! There=20
> >> > >>>>>
> >> > >>>>>
> >> > >>>>>>> were not many Africans in the previous ISCRAT
> >> > >>>>>>>
> >> > >>>>>>>
> >> > >>>>> conferences. Participants=20
> >> > >>>>>
> >> > >>>>>
> >> > >>>>>>> came from all continents. There were many people known to us
> on
> >> > >>>>>>>
> >> > >>>>>>>
> >> > >>>>> the XMCA=20
> >> > >>>>>
> >> > >>>>>
> >> > >>>>>>> discussion list in the conference: N. Ares, D. Bakhurst, S.
> >> > >>>>>>>
> >> > >>>>>>>
> >> > >>>>> Chaiklin, M.=20
> >> > >>>>>
> >> > >>>>>
> >> > >>>>>>> Cole, M. de Haan, J. Derry, Y. Engestr=F6m, S. Gaskin, A.
> >> > >>>>>>> Goncu,
> >> > P.=20
> >> > >>>>>>> Hakkarainen, L. Holzman, V. John-Stainer, E. Lampert-Shepel,
> C.
> >> > >>>>>>>
> >> > >>>>>>>
> >> > >>>>> Lee, E.=20
> >> > >>>>>
> >> > >>>>>
> >> > >>>>>>> Matusov, D. Robbins, W-M. Roth, A. Stetsenko, A. Surmava, J.
> >> > >>>>>>> Valsiner,=20
> >> > >>>>>>> B. van Oers, N. Veresov, G. Wells, J. Wertsch..., There were
> >> > >>>>>>>
> >> > >>>>>>>
> >> > >>>>> many more=20
> >> > >>>>>
> >> > >>>>>
> >> > >>>>>>> we have to learn about.
> >> > >>>>>>>
> >> > >>>>>>> The conference program listed two main themes with lots of
> sub
> >> > themes:
> >> > >>>>>>> THEME A.- Theoretical and Methodological Issues
> >> > >>>>>>> THEME B.- Acting in changing worlds
> >> > >>>>>>> Each workshop was classified within one of the two themes and
> >> > >>>>>>>
> >> > >>>>>>>
> >> > >>>>> within one=20
> >> > >>>>>
> >> > >>>>>
> >> > >>>>>>> of its subtopics. What was hard on the conference organizers
> >> > >>>>>>>
> >> > >>>>>>>
> >> > >>>>> and on the=20
> >> > >>>>>
> >> > >>>>>
> >> > >>>>>>> conference attendees was to separate workshops that tackled
> >> > similar=20
> >> > >>>>>>> problems in time: there were many workshops I wanted to go
> to,
> >> > >>>>>>>
> >> > >>>>>>>
> >> > >>>>> but they=20
> >> > >>>>>
> >> > >>>>>
> >> > >>>>>>> were held at the same time. I always had to choose between,
> at
> >> > >>>>>>>
> >> > >>>>>>>
> >> > >>>>> least two=20
> >> > >>>>>
> >> > >>>>>
> >> > >>>>>>> competing workshops and more often between three or four.
> That
> >> > >>>>>>>
> >> > >>>>>>>
> >> > >>>>> was very=20
> >> > >>>>>
> >> > >>>>>
> >> > >>>>>>> hard to juggle. I ended up running from one to another,
> missing
> >> > >>>>>>> chunks=20
> >> > >>>>>>> from each workshop that I wanted to hear, or just worrying
> that
> >> > >>>>>>> I
> >> > was=20
> >> > >>>>>>> missing something else.
> >> > >>>>>>>
> >> > >>>>>>> Before the conference, I made my own selection of workshops
> >> > >>>>>>> which
> >> > >>>>>>> have=20
> >> > >>>>>>> something to do with play and imagination. That was my
> personal
> >> > >>>>>>>
> >> > >>>>>>>
> >> > >>>>> program=20
> >> > >>>>>
> >> > >>>>>
> >> > >>>>>>> guide, I am attaching here. However, I ended up changing it
> >> > >>>>>>> to=20
> >> > >>>>>>> accommodate other talks which were also important to me.
> >> > >>>>>>> [Other=20
> >> > >>>>>>> participants in Sevilla: Please send your own selection of
> >> > >>>>>>> the=20
> >> > >>>>>>> workshops!"]. In my next postings, I will discuss some of
> >> > >>>>>>> the=20
> >> > >>>>>>> presentations I attended. I invite you who went to Sevilla to
> >> > >>>>>>>
> >> > >>>>>>>
> >> > >>>>> discuss at=20
> >> > >>>>>
> >> > >>>>>
> >> > >>>>>>> least one of the presentations: one paper, one concept you
> >> > heard=20
> >> > >>>>>>> discussed, one thought you found important in Sevilla. Each
> one
> >> > >>>>>>> of
> >> > us=20
> >> > >>>>>>> has a special "pet" interest, and sometimes, special ways to
> >> > >>>>>>>
> >> > >>>>>>>
> >> > >>>>> understand=20
> >> > >>>>>
> >> > >>>>>
> >> > >>>>>>> or to "objectify" this interest through different selection
> of
> >> > topics=20
> >> > >>>>>>> and different people. Maybe you want to connect the questions
> >> > >>>>>>> we
> >> > >>>>>>> asked=20
> >> > >>>>>>> before the Conference with your experience in the conference?
> >> > >>>>>>> Or
> >> > >>>>>>> maybe=20
> >> > >>>>>>> you would want to mention just something unexpected,
> something
> >> > >>>>>>>
> >> > >>>>>>>
> >> > >>>>> that made=20
> >> > >>>>>
> >> > >>>>>
> >> > >>>>>>> you think?
> >> > >>>>>>>
> >> > >>>>>>> Until later.
> >> > >>>>>>>
> >> > >>>>>>> Ana
> >> > >>>>>>>
> >> > >>>>>>>
> >> > >>>>>>>
> >> > >>>>>>>
> >> > >>>>>>>
> >> > >>>>>> _______________________________________________
> >> > >>>>>> xmca mailing list
> >> > >>>>>> xmca@weber.ucsd.edu
> >> > >>>>>> http://dss.ucsd.edu/mailman/listinfo/xmca
> >> > >>>>>>
> >> > >>>>>>
> >> > >>>>> _______________________________________________
> >> > >>>>> xmca mailing list
> >> > >>>>> xmca@weber.ucsd.edu
> >> > >>>>> http://dss.ucsd.edu/mailman/listinfo/xmca
> >> > >>>>>
> >> > >>>>>
> >> > >>>> _______________________________________________
> >> > >>>> xmca mailing list
> >> > >>>> xmca@weber.ucsd.edu
> >> > >>>> http://dss.ucsd.edu/mailman/listinfo/xmca
> >> > >>>>
> >> > >>>>
> >> > >>> _______________________________________________
> >> > >>> xmca mailing list
> >> > >>> xmca@weber.ucsd.edu
> >> > >>> http://dss.ucsd.edu/mailman/listinfo/xmca
> >> > >>>
> >> > >>>
> >> > >>>
> >> > >>>
> >> > >>>
> >> > >>
> >> > >> --
> >> > >>
> >> >
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >> > >> Ana Marjanovic-Shane
> >> > >>
> >> > >> 151 W. Tulpehocken St.
> >> > >>
> >> > >> Philadelphia, PA 19144
> >> > >>
> >> > >> Home office: (215) 843-2909
> >> > >>
> >> > >> Mobile: (267) 334-2905
> >> > >>
> >> > >> _______________________________________________
> >> > >> xmca mailing list
> >> > >> xmca@weber.ucsd.edu
> >> > >> http://dss.ucsd.edu/mailman/listinfo/xmca
> >> > > _______________________________________________
> >> > > xmca mailing list
> >> > > xmca@weber.ucsd.edu
> >> > > http://dss.ucsd.edu/mailman/listinfo/xmca
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > _______________________________________________
> >> > xmca mailing list
> >> > xmca@weber.ucsd.edu
> >> > http://dss.ucsd.edu/mailman/listinfo/xmca
> >> >
> >> _______________________________________________
> >> xmca mailing list
> >> xmca@weber.ucsd.edu
> >> http://dss.ucsd.edu/mailman/listinfo/xmca
> > _______________________________________________
> > xmca mailing list
> > xmca@weber.ucsd.edu
> > http://dss.ucsd.edu/mailman/listinfo/xmca
> >
> >
> > --
> > No virus found in this incoming message.
> > Checked by AVG Anti-Virus.
> > Version: 7.0.344 / Virus Database: 267.11.10/119 - Release Date:
> > 04/10/2005
> >
> >
>
> _______________________________________________
> xmca mailing list
> xmca@weber.ucsd.edu
> http://dss.ucsd.edu/mailman/listinfo/xmca
>
_______________________________________________
xmca mailing list
xmca@weber.ucsd.edu
http://dss.ucsd.edu/mailman/listinfo/xmca
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Tue Nov 01 2005 - 01:00:21 PST
