Using activity theory and its principle of contradictions to guide research in educational technology

Murphy, Elizabeth; Rodríguez-Manzanares, María A.

doi:10.14742/ajet.1203

Cited by 116 publications

(63 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…Murphy and Rodriguez-Manzanares (2008) provide a thorough review of these studies, focusing on how they have focused on the principle of contradictions, a key aspect of activity theory. These contradictions occur when there is a 'misfit within elements, between elements, between different activities, or between different developmental phases of a single activity' (Kuutti, 1996, p. 34).…”

Section: Theoretical Frameworkmentioning

confidence: 99%

Researching Resistance to Open Education Resource Contribution: An Activity Theory Approach

Cox

2013

E-Learning and Digital Media

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Higher education and associated institutions are beginning to share teaching materials known as Open Educational Resources (OER) or open courseware across the globe. Their success depends largely on the willingness of academics at these institutions to add their teaching resources. In a survey of the literature on OER there are several articles that discuss reasons why academics should contribute teaching materials. There are fewer articles that refer to academics' concerns or why they choose not to contribute their teaching resources. There have been only a few reported empirical studies thus far, and most of the studies have not been framed within any particular theoretical perspective. Hence there is a need to explore possible theories that might help to conceptualise and explain what enables or constrains the open education movement. This study aims to ascertain whether Engeström's activity theory and its principle of contradictions is a sufficiently versatile and insightful lens to investigate non-participation of OER contribution. Activity theory was found to be useful for framing the literature and three interviews with University of Cape Town (UCT) academics and for surfacing some of the constraints in the system. The key concerns that emerged centred around the rules in the institution concerning promotion and what is valued by the institution. At present this institution places value on research and until value is placed on sharing teaching materials as OER, it is unlikely that there will be large-scale voluntary contribution to the UCT OpenContent directory.

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Section: Theoretical Frameworkmentioning

confidence: 99%

Researching Resistance to Open Education Resource Contribution: An Activity Theory Approach

Cox

2013

E-Learning and Digital Media

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“…Participants frequently indicated that they experienced the learning process and the tools being used as different to their traditional experiences, hence the strong articulation of how the Extended Cyberhunt context contradicts the traditional text-book, chalk board and 'teacher chalk-and-talk' context. The rules and the division of labour (Murphy & Rodriguez-Manzanares, 2008;Hardman, 2005aHardman, , 2005b were experienced as different, as participants indicated that they were not confined to one place, but could move around, ask questions and were assisted by peer-facilitators from other groups, not just from the facilitator. This became evident in the interest and collaborative results section, as the data suggest the formation of a sense of community (see Activity Theory triangle, Figure 1) as a result of the sharing of ideas, asking for assistance, by listening to problems that were experienced, i.e.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The interacting components within the mediational triangle (See Figure 1) of an activity system are the subject, object, tools, community, rules and division of labour (Murphy & Rodriguez-Manzanares, 2008). Hardman (2005aHardman ( , 2005b states that within such a system learning is not viewed as transmission, but as transformation, hence learning within an activity system could be seen as an evolving process mediated by tools and social interaction.…”

Section: Activity Theory and The Extended Cyberhunt Interventionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Digital immigrant teacher perceptions of an extended Cyberhunt strategy

Plessis

Webb

2012

AJET

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This quantitative and qualitative interpretive exploratory case study investigates whether exposure to an Internet based Extended Cyberhunt strategy enables teachers to attain a set of outcomes similar to Prensky's 'Essential 21st Century Skills' and the 'Critical Outcomes of the South African National Curriculum Statement (NCS)'. The outcomes referred to include effective planning, designing, decision making and goal setting; improved computer and data searching skills; enhanced confidence, interest, reflective ability, collaboration, judgment and creative and critical thinking; as well as effective problem solving and the ability to communicate and interact with individuals and groups. The Extended Cyberhunt strategy, which focuses on enabling participants to become the designers of questions on curriculum related topics at different cognitive levels of Bloom's Taxonomy, was introduced to teachers who were first time users of the Internet, Microsoft Word and PowerPoint. The intention was to ascertain these teachers' perceptions of the utility of the strategy in terms of assisting them to implement the critical outcomes described above with school level learners. Data on their perceptions and experiences related to these outcomes were generated and triangulated by means of a pre and post-Likert scale questionnaire, an open ended questionnaire, qualitative semi-structured interviews, reflective journal writing, and implementer reflections. Positive gains were revealed in terms of all of the above outcomes after exposure to the Extended Cyberhunt strategy. These findings are considered in terms of differences between the approach used and traditional teachercentred teaching, and the strategy is examined using activity theory as a lens. While we are aware that many alternative approaches exist that may be just as successful in terms of attaining the desired outcomes, we believe that the Extended Cyberhunt strategy is both a fruitful extension of WebQuests and other existing Internet-based approaches, and a relatively easily implementable and viable way of attaining the desired outcomes.

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“…The analysis of contradictions and tensions is particularly useful in studies involving educational technology given the (usually purposeful) disturbances these projects have in organisations, such as schools. The analysis of the tensions that emerge in educational technology projects from the perspective of teachers can help understand how changes in educational practice might take place in school contexts (Murphy and Rodriguez-Manzanares 2008).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A systemic model for differentiating school technology integration

Amiel

Kubota

Wives

2016

Research in Learning Technology

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School technology integration rarely begins with school or educator choice. It is part of a wider context where external and internal factors have direct influence on the goals and tools that are adopted over time. The objective of this study is to investigate the systemic conditions that contribute or inhibit the development of different activities by teachers making use of new media. We compiled a list of wellknown conditions for technology integration success and mapped these in the historical and culturally bound perspective of activity theory (cultural historical activity theory). We conducted a multiple case study analysis of four schools, public and private. The results point to unique and distinctive scenarios even when homogeneity would be expected, reinforcing the argument that material conditions do not determine pedagogical outcomes nor do they determine changes in practice. Beyond this, the study proposes a methodology that can help elicit tensions in technology integration, pointing to avenues for school development.

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Using activity theory and its principle of contradictions to guide research in educational technology

Cited by 116 publications

References 33 publications

Researching Resistance to Open Education Resource Contribution: An Activity Theory Approach

Researching Resistance to Open Education Resource Contribution: An Activity Theory Approach

Digital immigrant teacher perceptions of an extended Cyberhunt strategy

A systemic model for differentiating school technology integration

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