Re: [xmca] The Evolution of CHAT

Andrew-- your friend sounds a lot like she is following in the footsteps of
Sylvia Ashton Warner.
A TON of material on google about her pedagogical methods.
mike

On 9/9/07, Andrew Coppens <andrewcoppens@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> Hi Ana Paula,
>
> I would be very interested to hear more about how you
> and your colleagues carry this out, especially in
> terms of language learning. Well, come to think of it
> I'm really interested in the whole thing!
>
> I currently work with local teachers in environmental
> education and English classes in rural public schools
> in Nicaragua, and also teach English with a group of
> adolescents in the community where I live (and many
> colleagues of mine in other parts of the country do
> similar things). In these small communities the fact
> that school curricula is so often removed from social
> and community activity is (for me, being educated in
> large schools in the U.S.) held in striking relief
> because, for the most part, all students live very
> close to each other and have long histories with thier
> communities often spanning generations. It would be my
> guess that these schools might especially benefit from
> your developments, being able to teach not only in the
> context of social activities generally common to 5th
> grade boys, for example, but also to 5th grade boys
> in THAT town.
>
> In some ways this connects with my experience in
> another sense as well. The first grade teacher in one
> of the schools I work with has shared with me an
> approach to teaching reading and writing that she has
> recently been implementing, based on training given
> from the national ministry of education. It mostly
> abandons the alphabet and begins instead with a large
> and sustained focus on each child's name, then the
> names of thier friends, and so on. She has had great
> success.
>
> Thank you for offering to share your work. I'm excited
> to learn more.
>
> Best,
> Andrew
>
>
>
>
>
> --- Mike Cole <lchcmike@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > Hi Ana Paula--
> >
> > *I* want to know more!! Please!
> > mike
> > PS- I am (incidentally?) interested in your
> > statement that " every teenager
> > suffers with this process- [of first love]; What
> > does the word,
> > "suffer" mean:? I am a...... sort of...... well.....
> > not a lot more than
> > middle age (??) man and I am married to my 15 year
> > old first love. You think
> > teenagers know about suffering? Ask my wife!!
> > :-)
> >
> > (and, really write more)
> >
> > On 9/6/07, Ana Paula B. R. Cortez
> > <apbrcortez@yahoo.com.br> wrote:
> > >
> > > Dear colleagues,
> > > I have to be honest and tell you that I haven't
> > read the whole
> > > discussion and I'm not sure if what I'll write has
> > to do with you've been
> > > writing about, but I felt I could contribute with
> > it.
> > > I work at a bilingual school in the city of São
> > Paulo, Brazil, and since
> > > 2005 we've been teaching English and the subjects
> > in English (science, math
> > > and social studies) with the help of CHAT.
> > Basically (and very
> > > simplistically), we teach contents inside social
> > activities. Let me give you
> > > an example: think about the subject, an age group
> > and their grade, let's say
> > > language, year 6; then, the kinds of social
> > activities in which students
> > > would be involved in their real lives, not school
> > context (I like the one I
> > > call "my first love" - every teenager suffers with
> > this process); finally,
> > > what the actions in this activity were, the
> > subjects involved (all the
> > > elements of an activity and their roles: what the
> > teacher would say and do
> > > to support and help adolescents in the process;
> > the students' roles as well
> > > - sharing feelings and experiences with friends,
> > family, contacting magazine
> > > "agony aunts" and everything else that it takes),
> > the language (linguistic
> > > devices, genres,
> > > whatever) needed, so on an so forth. Then, we
> > organise the whole
> > > curriculum based on this process, that's it.
> > > I know I might not have been that clear, but it
> > took me my whole master
> > > course and my dissertation to develop it, and it's
> > been very successful (I
> > > presented it in Russia and Finland last year). In
> > case you feel like knowing
> > > it, I can provide more details. I've been thinking
> > about writing a book to
> > > share this project and the experience, it might
> > help others too. Would
> > > anybody like to help me?
> > > Ana
> > >
> > > "Worthen, Helena Harlow" <hworthen@ad.uiuc.edu>
> > escreveu:
> > > I second the request from Cathrene Connery and
> > Donald James Cunningham
> > > to hear from some who have tried how they (you)
> > present CHAT. The
> > > historical perspective (behaviorism, cognitive
> > science, sociocultural
> > > perspectives) seems like a necessary one. But what
> > were the problems at
> > > each point that pushed things onward?
> > >
> > > Helena
> > >
> > >
> > > Helena Worthen
> > > Clinical Associate Professor
> > > Labor Education Program
> > > Institute of Labor & Industrial Relations
> > > 504 E. Armory, Room 227
> > > Champaign, IL 61821
> > > Phone: 217-244-4095
> > > hworthen@uiuc.edu
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: xmca-bounces@weber.ucsd.edu
> > [mailto:xmca-bounces@weber.ucsd.edu]
> > > On Behalf Of Cathrene Connery
> > > Sent: Thursday, September 06, 2007 5:59 PM
> > > To: eXtended Mind, Culture, Activity
> > > Subject: [xmca] The Evolution of CHAT
> > >
> > > Tony Whitson wrote:
> > > > Don,
> > > >
> > > > Sorry for the delay in responding to this -- but
> > I think it's a useful
> > >
> > > > question for discussion in this group.
> > > >
> > > > I want to respond quickly on another point
> > before getting to your main
> > >
> > > > question about teaching CHAT.
> > > >
> > > > First, you write:
> > > >> I've taught the usual suspects (behaviorism,
> > > >> Bandura, Piaget, cognitive information
> > processing) for years and have
> > > a
> > > >> pretty good idea about them but would
> > appreciate some help on CHAT.
> > > >
> > > > Where I am, students have learned a story about
> > how once upon a time
> > > > the world was ruled by the behaviorists, but
> > they've been vanquished
> > > > by the (scientifically, pedagogically,
> > politically, and morally)
> > > > superior forces of Cognitive Science. They think
> > that's where the
> > > > story ends (as in the "End of History"
> > celebrated since Daniel Bell in
> > >
> > > > the early 60's, where history completes itself
> > with the universal
> > > > triumph of capitalism).
> > > >
> > > > I think it's important for students to learn
> > about what's happening
> > > > "beyond cognitivism." For me, this is not just a
> > matter of theory or
> > > > intellectual politics: My students just won't
> > understand anything I'm
> > > > saying or doing unless they understand that I'm
> > addressing an ontology
> > >
> > > > in which cognition cannot be understood except
> > as it is embedded in
> > > > the broader (not only cognitive) projects and
> > processes of being and
> > > > becoming. CHAT takes this stance against
> > reductive cognitivism, and
> > > > CHAT cannot be understood (IMHO) without
> > recognizing this. I think
> > > > Wenger & the Communities of Practice literature
> > perhaps makes this
> > > > point more directly and accessibly, although
> > details have not been
> > > > theorized as extensively as in CHAT. Curriculum
> > theory -- my own home
> > > > turf -- has always approached education as a
> > matter of ontology, not
> > > > merely cognition (i.e., not just Knowing, but
> > Being and Becoming).
> > > >
> > > > So, I would want to tell the story of
> > behaviorist hegemony giving way
> > > > to cognitivist hegemony, which in turn is being
> > challenged by a turn
> > > > to the broader perspective of social ontology.
> > This is not to say that
> > >
> > > > the reductivist ideology of cognitivISM is
> > replaced by an ideology of
> > > > postcognitivISM (see my post at
> > http://postcog.net ); Nor is it a call
> > >
> > > > for hegemonic "postcognitivism" in place of
> > hegemonic cognitivism.
> > > >
> > > > One good source is Lave, Jean. "Teaching, as
> > Learning, in Practice."
> > > > Mind, Culture, and Activity 3, no. 3 (1996):
> > 149-64.
> > > > I think this particular point might come through
> > more strongly in
> > > > Lave, Jean. "Learning as Participation in
> > Communities of Practice."
> > > > Paper presented at the American Educational
> > Research Association, San
> > > > Francisco 1992.
> > > > (This paper is now linked from
> > http://postcog.net/#Lave . This is the
> > > > paper Jean presented in the symposium that David
> > Kirshner and I
> > > > organized, which grew into our book _Situated
> > Cognition_, although a
> > > > different piece was used as her chapter in the
> > book. The MCA article
> > > > includes aspects of the AERA paper, although its
> > scope is broader and
> > > > the social ontology argument may be less central
> > to the complete
> > > > published article.)
> > > >
> > > > With regard to your main question, you write:
> > > >> [I] was wondering if any of you would be
> > > >> willing to share with me (and other XMCAers)
> > how you present CHAT. I
> > > >> mean, I don't think undergrads are going to be
> > too interested in the
> > > >> distinction between action and activity or
> > working out the concept of
> > > >> "object". Or am I wrong?
> > > >
> > > > This could be a very interesting discussion for
> > XMCA.
> > > > As you suggest, for an undergrad Ed Psych class,
> > it might be best to
> > > > streamline CHAT a bit. However, I don't think
> > the differentiation
> > > > among the three levels of activity, action, and
> > operations is
> > > > dispensable. I think it's necessary to see
> > activities and activity
> > > > systems emerging on a social/cultural level
> > beyond consciously
> > > > goal-oriented action, and to see the role of
> > routinized operational
> > > > activity that does not require conscious
> > attention.
> > > >
> > > > It would be helpful to develop introductory
> > approaches for this
> > > > audience. Starting points could include the
> > resources at
> > > >
> >
> http://www.edu.helsinki.fi/activity/pages/chatanddwr/
> > > > and
> > > > Roth, Wolff-Michael, and Yew-Jin Lee.
> > ""Vygotsky's Neglected Legacy":
> > > > Cultural-Historical Activity Theory." Review of
> > Educational Research
> > > > 77, no. 2 (2007): 186-232.
> > > > as well as
> > > > pp. 27-47 in Spinuzzi, Clay. Tracing Genres
> > through Organizations: A
> > > > Sociocultural Approach to Information Design.
> > Cambridge, Mass.: MIT
> > > > Press, 2003.
> > > > and
> > > > pp. 29-72 ("Activity Theory in a Nutshell") in
> > Kaptelinin, Victor, and
> > >
> > > > Bonnie A. Nardi. Acting with Technology:
> > Activity Theory and
> > > > Interaction Design. Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press,
> > 2006.
> > > >
> > > > On Wed, 29 Aug 2007, Cunningham, Donald James
> > wrote:
> > > >
> > > >> And in a week or so, I will begin teaching an
> > undergraduate class in
> > > >> "Educational Psychology" for future teachers.
> > It has been a few years
> > > >> since I taught such a class and was wondering
> > if any of you would be
> > > >> willing to share with me (and other XMCAers)
> > how you present CHAT. I
> > > >> mean, I don't think undergrads are going to be
> > too interested in the
> > > >> distinction between action and activity or
> > working out the concept of
> > > >> "object". Or am I wrong? I've taught the usual
> > suspects (behaviorism,
> > > >> Bandura, Piaget, cognitive information
> > processing) for years and have
> > > a
> > > >> pretty good idea about them but would
> > appreciate some help on CHAT.
> > > >>
> > > >>
> > > >>
> > > >> Don Cunningham
> > > >> Indiana University
> > > >>
> > > >> Ancora Imparo!
> > > >>
> > > >>
> > > >> -----Original Message-----
> > > >> From: xmca-bounces@weber.ucsd.edu
> > > [mailto:xmca-bounces@weber.ucsd.edu]
> > > >> On Behalf Of Mike Cole
> > > >> Sent: Wednesday, August 29, 2007 6:13 PM
> > > >> To: eXtended Mind, Culture, Activity
> > > >> Subject: [xmca] mediational theories of mind:
> > Suggestions requested
> > > >>
> > > >> Dear Xmca-ites---
> > > >>
> > > >> Toward the end of the month I will begin
> > teaching a grad course on
> > > >> mediational theories of mind.
> > > >> I would love suggestions for interesting
> > readings.
> > > >> We will be looking in a sort of "mcLuhanesque"
> > way at the affordances
> > > of
> > > >> different kinds of mediators
> > > >> in human action/activity/mind.
> > > >>
> > > >> So, language and thought
> > > >> writing
> > > >> film
> > > >> music
> > > >> tv
> > > >> rituals
> > > >> games
> > > >> .........
> > > >>
> > > >> Starting with early 20th century writers of
> > general familiarity to
> > > >> members
> > > >> of this list, I have been thinking about
> > including
> > > >> such works as Cszikentmihalyi, "meaning of
> > things," Turkle's recent
> > > >> "evocative objects," and perhaps something on
> > mediated
> > > >> behavior in large groups such as "the wisdom of
> > crowds."
> > > >>
> > > >> Any and all suggestions warmly welcomed. So
> > much going on its hard to
> > > >> even
> > > >> think about how to begin to think about this
> > > >> upcoming fall!!
> > > >>
> > > >> mike
> > > >> _______________________________________________
> > > >> 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
> > > >>
> > > >
> > > > Tony Whitson
> > > > UD School of Education
> > > > NEWARK DE 19716
> > > >
> > > > twhitson@udel.edu
> > > > _______________________________
> > > >
> > > > "those who fail to reread
> > > > are obliged to read the same story everywhere"
> > > > -- Roland Barthes, S/Z (1970)
> > > > _______________________________________________
> > > > xmca mailing list
> > > > xmca@weber.ucsd.edu
> > > > http://dss.ucsd.edu/mailman/listinfo/xmca
> > > Hi everyone:
> > > Tony's eloquent characterization of "behaviorist
> > hegemony giving way to
> > > cognitivist hegemony, which in turn is being
> > challenged by a turn to the
> > >
> > > broader perspective of social ontology" is well
> > put. How CHAT is being
> > > presented to the rugged individualists (albeit
> > mythological entities) in
> > >
> > > our teacher ed programs is of interest to me as
> > well. It would further
> > > be helpful for CHAT neophytes like myself to hear
> > how those of you who
> > > have shaped CHAT view how the domain has
> > genetically evolved and, in
> > > some cases, splintered (i.e. the differences
> > between sociocultural
> > > theory vs. activity theory). Thanks for engaging
> > in an interesting
> > > discussion. I realize this topic has already been
> > hashed out on-line
> > > previously, but it was Lev that said we only truly
> > know something when
> > > we view it in motion.
> > > Cathrene
> > >
> > > --
> > > Dr. M. Cathrene Connery
> > > Assistant Professor of Education
> > > 607.274.7382
> > > Ithaca College
> > >
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > 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
> > >
> > >
> > > Flickr agora em português. Você clica, todo
> > mundo vê. Saiba mais.
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > xmca mailing list
> > > xmca@weber.ucsd.edu
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> > >
> > _______________________________________________
> > xmca mailing list
> > xmca@weber.ucsd.edu
> > http://dss.ucsd.edu/mailman/listinfo/xmca
> >
>
>
> Andrew D. Coppens
> Peace Corps Nicaragua
> El Coral, Chontales
>
> Apartado Postal #20
> Santo Tomas, Chontales
> Nicaragua
> Centro America
>
> 011-505-413-5387
>
> AndrewCoppens@yahoo.com
>
>
>
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Received on Sun Sep 9 13:52 PDT 2007