Consciousness and Learning
Cultural-Historical-Activity-Theory in a Course of International Culture in Higher Education
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1558/lst.22372Keywords:
cultural historical activity theory, instructional design, consciousness, internalization, self-regulationAbstract
This study presents the results of a research project on the interrelation between an instructional design and the application of cultural-historical-activity-theory (CHAT) on a course on International Culture with higher education students. Over a nine-week course, the researcher collected data on some of the students’ course projects and their reflections from a focus group activity. The findings suggest that the interrelation between the course instructional design and CHAT allowed students to gain consciousness of their class work and their own learning as they demonstrated greater command of the course contents as the course progressed. Additionally, from the perspective of CHAT, students’ agency was enhanced by their concept internalization and awareness of the course objectives and learning goals. Finally, self-regulation in teaching and learning emerged as the research stakeholders committed themselves to working towards the configuration of a learning community with a clear sense of rules and further division of labor.
References
Abinader, E. (2005). Profile of an Arab daughter. In C. Anderson and L. Runciman (eds.), Open Questions: Readings for Critical Reading and Writing, 36–41. Boston, MA: Bedford Martin.
Barro, A., Jordan, S. and Roberts, C. (1998). Cultural practice in everyday life: The language learner as ethnographer. In M. Byram and M. Fleming (eds.), Language Learning in Intercultural Perspective: Approaches through Drama and Ethnography, 76–97. Cambridge Language Teaching Library. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Borghetti, C. (2011). How to teach it? Proposal for a methodological model of intercultural competence. In A. Witte and T. Harden (eds.), Intercultural Competence: Concepts, Challenges, Evaluations, 141–159. Bern, Switzerland: Peter Lang.
Byram, M. (1997). Teaching and Assessing Intercultural Communication Competence. Clevendon, UK: Multilingual Matters.
Carr, W. and Kemmis, S. (1986). Becoming Critical: Education, Knowledge and Action Research. Barcombe, UK: The Falmer Press.
Chamot, A. U. and O’ Malley, J. M. (1994). The CALLA Handbook: Implementing the Cognitive Academic Language Learning Approach. White Plains, NY: Addison Wesley Longman.
Creswell, J. W. (2007). Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approach (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.
Deardorff, D. K. (2006). Identification and assessment of intercultural competence as a student outcome of internationalization. Journal of Studies in International Education 10: 241–266. https://doi.org/10.1177/1028315306287002
Echevarria, J., Vogt, M. E. and Short, D. (2000). Making Content Comprehensible for English Learners. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
Engeström, Y. (1987). Learning by Expanding: An Activity-Theoretical Approach to Developmental Research. Helsinki, Finland: Orienta-Konsultit.
Engeström, Y. (2001). Expansive learning at work: Toward an activity-theoretical conceptualization. Journal of Education and Work 14(1): 133–156. https://doi.org/10.1080/13639080020028747
Englund, C., Olofsson, A. and Price, L. (2018). The influence of sociocultural and structural contexts in academic change and development in higher education. Higher Education 76: 1051–1069. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-018-0254-1
Fletcher, L. (2021). Let’s chat about CHAT: Illuminating undergraduates’ literature discussion with Cultural Historical Activity Theory. Learning, Culture and Social Interaction 29: 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lcsi.2021.100498
Goldman, S. R. and Pellegrino, J. W. (2015). Research on learning instruction: Implications for curriculum, instruction, and assessment. Behavioral and Brain Sciences 2(1): 33–41. https://doi.org/10.1177/2372732215601866
Hong Kingston, M. (2005). No name woman. In C. Anderson and L. Runciman (eds.), Open Questions: Readings for Critical Reading and Writing, 45–54. Boston, MA: Bedford Martin.
Jin, L. and Cortazzi, M. (1998). The culture the learner brings: A bridge or a barrier? In M. Byram and M. Fleming (eds.), Language Learning in Intercultural Perspective: Approaches through Drama and Ethnography, 98–118. Cambridge Language Teaching Library. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Khan, Y. M., Manzoor Hussain, S. and Sahibazada, E. H. (2020). Impact of self-regulated learning behavior on the academic achievement of university students. FWU Journal of Social Sciences 14(2): 117–130. https://journal.uny.ac.id/index.php/cp/article/view/40718
Kramsch, C. (1998). The privilege of the intercultural speaker. In M. Byram and M. Fleming (eds.), Language Learning in Intercultural Perspective: Approaches through Drama and Ethnography, 16–31. Cambridge Language Teaching Library. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Lantolf, J. P. and Pavlenko, A. (2001). (S)econd, (L)anguage (Activity) theory: Understanding second language learners as people. In M. Breen (ed.), Learner Contributions to Language Learning: New Directions in Research, 141–158. London: Longman.
Leont’ev, A. N. (1978). Activity, Consciousness, and Personality. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Mao, J. and Peck, K. (2013). Assessment strategies, self-regulated learning skills, and perceptions of assessment in online learning. The Quarterly Review of Distance Education 14(2): 75–95. https://www.infoagepub.com/qrde-issue.html?i=p54c3c39c59eed
Marsh, D., Mehisto, P., Wolff, D. and Frijols-Martin, M. (2009). European Framework for CLIL Teacher Education. The European Center for Modern Languages.
Maturana, H. and Varela, F. (1980). Autopoiesis and Cognition: The Realization of the Living. Amsterdam, Dordrecht.
Mekala, S. and Radhakrishnan, G. (2019). Promoting self-regulated learning through metacognitive strategies. The IUP Journal of Soft Skills, XIII (2): 21–27. https://www.iupindia.in/1906/Soft%20Skills/Promoting_Self_Regulated.asp
Merawan, C. T., Hajidin and Duskri, M. (2021). Self-regulated learning through contextual teaching and learning (CTL) approach. Journal of Physics: Conference Series 1882(2021). https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/1882/1/012087
Neuliep, J. W. (2012). Intercultural Communication: A Contextual Approach. Los Angeles, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc.
Ortíz Cofer, J. (2005). The story of my body. In C. Anderson and L. Runciman (eds.), Open Questions: Readings for Critical Reading and Writing, 323–332. Boston, MA: Bedford Martin.
Pastori, G., Mangiatordi, A., Ereky-Stevens, K. and Slot, P. L. (2018). ISOTI Virtual Learning Environment, Development, Progress, and On-going Work in WP 3, 4, and 5. Milan, Italy: ISOTIS.
Pintrich, P. R. (1999). The role of goal orientation in self-regulated learning. In M. Boekaerts, M. Zeidner, and P. R. Pintrich (eds.), The Handbook of Self-Regulation, 451–529. Cambridge, MA: Academic Press.
Puntel Basso, F. and Menna Barreto Abrahao, M. H. (2018). Teaching activities that develop learning self-regulation. Educação & Realidade 43(2): 495–511. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/2175-623665212
Savicki, V. (2008). Developing Intercultural Competence and Transformation: Theory, Research and Application in International Education. Sterling, VA: Stylus.
Scarino, A. and Liddicoat, A. (2009). Teaching and Learning Languages: A Guide. Carlton, AU: Commonwealth of Australia.
Torres, M. N. and Mercado, M. (2004). Living the praxis of teacher education through teacher research. A Journal for the Scholar-Practitioner Leader 2(2): 59–73.
Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in Society. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Williams Chizhik, E. and Williams Chizhik, A. (2018). Using activity theory to examine how teachers’ lesson plans meet students’ learning needs. The Teacher Educator 53(1): 67–85. https://doi.org/10.1080/08878730.2017.1296913
Zimmerman, B. J. (1999). Attaining self-regulation: A social cognitive perspective. In M. Boekaerts, M. Zeidner, and P. R. Pintrich (eds.), 13–39 The Handbook of Self-Regulation. Cambridge, MA: Academic Press.
