Cultural-historical Theory Research Articles

Digital technology and student engagement in online synchronous collaborative learning sessions / Tecnología digital y participación de los estudiantes en las sesiones de aprendizaje colaborativo en línea

This study examines students’ engagement in online synchronous collaborative learning (OSCL) sessions in a massive open online course (MOOC). The study focuses on the role of digital technologies in facilitating students’ agency in collaborative meaning-making activities. The primary data sources for the study were video recordings of OSCL sessions, which were analysed using the method of interaction analysis and interpreted through the lens of cultural-historical theory. The findings revealed four interconnected activities of collaborative meaning-making: establishing social connections and presence, reflecting on prior learning, sharing digital artefacts and reflecting on shared understanding. The progression from one activity to another unfolded as students contributed to collaborative learning activities using their own ideas and problem-solving approaches. The use of individually created digital artefacts, such as examination assignment drafts, deepened interactions and meaning-making processes, enhancing students’ agency in collaborative learning. The findings of this study provide insights into pedagogical strategies that can enhance student agency in MOOC environments, highlighting the crucial role of digital artefacts in developing students’ agency in collaborative learning.

Какая гендерная теория нужна российской социальной психологии

<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Objective</strong>. The article problematizes the theoretical field of gender studies and the concept of “gender”, which are currently vulnerable in the socio-political context. The aim of the article is to determine the range of theories of Russian psychologists capable of solving topical issues in the field of gender social psychology outside of a politically conflicting discourse. <br><strong>Background</strong>. According to political theory, psychological knowledge can become a guide for political practice, this area of political science is called biopolitics. The constructivist theoretical field of gender studies belongs to the field of biopolitics; in Western gender theory, the deconstruction of gender is allowed not only as a social phenomenon, but also as a change in biological sex. Moreover, the possibility of deconstructing gender and sex is currently determined by political practice, not by psychological or psychiatric indications. The use of Western gender theory and the concept of “gender” in political conflicts pushes Russian social psychology to search for a theory based on the concepts of Russian psychologists focused on the analysis of the socio-psychological reality of gender relations. <br><strong>Results</strong>. The article emphasizes the impossibility of the reverse movement of science and the choice of the gender-role approach as outdated, not responding to the needs of modernity. Three theories are called productive and adequate to modern problems: the cultural-historical theory of L.S. Vygotsky, the subject-activity approach of S.L. Rubinstein, the theory of relations by V.N. Myasishchev. The concept of gender relations by I.S. Kletsina, one of the most popular modern concepts of gender in Russian psychology. <strong>Conclusions</strong>. Gender psychology is a new branch of social psychology, which turned out to be vulnerable to political initiatives in a period of socio-political instability. The search for new theoretical constructs and the educational activity of psychologists in the biopolitical field will help gender psychology overcome the crisis period.</p>

Развитие принципов культурно-исторической теории в специальной педагогике и психологии

<p>The article analyzes the importance of research in the field of special education and psychology for the development of cultural-historical theory. In this article we show that the development of the principles of cultural-historical psychology should be analyzed, and problematic areas of special education are identified. We have analyzed an importance of researches on special education and psychology to better understand a correlation between learning and development, the cultural development of a child as "growing into culture", the development of the regulatory function of speech, the content of the category "development" in psychology, the role of the collective in the development of children with disabilities. For the first time in cultural-historical psychology were shown the role of interaction with a peer without disabilities in the development of higher mental functions of a child with disabilities, the importance and conditions of interaction of a special child with an adult for making a step in development, the ratio between disability and its compensation, ideas about the zone of proximal development and the patterns of abnormal development. We showed how L.S.Vygotsky's ideas on the diagnosis of abnormal development in modern special psychology work, and importnt modern studies are for better understanding of normal development. It is shown that many problems of special education (including the problems of inclusive education) pose a challenge to cultural-historical theory and can be solved using it. The article shows prospects for the development of the analyzed problem area.</p>

Сто лет развития культурно-исторической психологии: вехи и направления

<p>The article gives a brief overview of the emergence and development of the cultural-historical theory of higher psychological functions over the century after it was created. Lev Vygotsky began the development of his theory with the study of the instrumental function of “cultural signs” (primarily words) and therefore he gave it the name “instrumental psychology”. The formation of human personality was understood by Vygotsky as the “ingrowing” of social relations into the individual mind and the conscious “mastery of the self”, its psychological functions and affects, by means of signs and basing on concepts. The authors of the article point out the main milestones in the development of cultural-historical psychology, briefly characterise its key concepts, methods and the most important tendencies of its development, up to its most recent trends in Russia, which have already emerged in the 20th century.</p>

Проблема анализа данных в культурно-историческом исследовании

<p>The article discusses the main ideas of the cultural-historical theory of social environment as a source of development from the point of view of the possibility of "refocusing research on development" and the transition from descriptive (empirical) ways of analysing experimental data to explanatory ones. In this article, based on Vygotsky's works, it is shown: 1) how the general idea of social environment as a source of development can be further conceptualised with the concepts of "social situation", "social situation of development" and <em>"perezhivanie"</em> and 2) how the analytical model created on this basis can become a concrete tool for analysing the experimental data. The cultural-historical genetic-analytical model developed by the author and experimentally validated is presented as a general framework for analysing experimental data in accordance with the general requirements of the experimental-genetic method. The second part of the paper presents a cultural-historical analytical matrix based on the model, which allows the data to be analysed in terms of revealing internal processes of development. The genetic-analytical model allows the analysis to capture the aspect of universality. A matrix based on this model (and therefore retaining the aspect of universality) can be used to analyse a particular social situation in terms of the specific conditions in which this universality manifests itself.</p>

FORMAÇÃO DE PROFESSORES DE EDUCAÇÃO FÍSICA QUE ATUAM COM ALUNOS COM DEFICIÊNCIA

This article addresses the theme of Inclusive Education with a focus on training teachers in the area of Physical Education who work in teaching students with disabilities. This article addresses the theme of Inclusive Education with a focus on training teachers in the area of Physical Education who deal with students with disabilities. The main objective of this investigation is to understand the training trajectory of Physical Education teachers to work with students with disabilities, specifically: 1. How the training took place and possible implications for acting in the context of Inclusive Education and 2. Teachers’ challenges in dealing with students with disabilities in everyday school life. The data were constructed in semi-structured interviews recorded and later transcribed. In line with the methodological principles of historical-cultural theory, the explanatory analysis allowed us to identify obstacles in the initial training process, such as: scarce content on teaching for students with disabilities; and subjects that are very theoretical and removed from the school reality. The teachers also highlighted: lack of support from educational management and the need for continued training while, in the school context, training spaces should be created. The study made it possible to identify the training demands of Physical Education teachers and the challenges they face in everyday school life, contributing to reflections on their training needs.

Idealism, materialism, and Vygotsky's cultural historical theory.

Vygotsky straddled the period of the Russian Revolution and found himself facing the Marxist materialist ideology of the Soviet Union with the need for a new method of psychology. Ironically, the Soviet Union's need for a Marxist based method of psychology coincided with Vygotsky's prior research on methods of interpretation which were inspired by Hegel and primarily based on the role of consciousness and culture. As a result of Vygotsky's pre-revolutionary work and inspiration from Hegel clashing with the post-revolutionary need for a new methodology for psychology, Vygotsky developed his Cultural Historical Theory. In presenting his new theory, Vygotsky attempted to resolve a fundamental ideological conflict between idealism and materialism. Furthermore, Vygotsky worked to create an effective new research method by drawing inspiration from Gestalt psychology, Hegel, Marx, and Engels. The result of Vygotsky's efforts was a theory based on psychology of consciousness and mind rather than a biology-based psychology focused entirely on analysis of stimuli and responses. In analyzing Vygotsky's theory, it is useful to draw inspiration from Vygotsky's criticism of pure empiricism, and to be inspired by Vygotsky's demonstration on how deeply rooted differences between societies may be bridged by finding unexpected commonalities within opposing ideologies.

Território como instituto jurídico complexo: uma análise fundamentada nos sujeitos, nas subjetividades e nas territorialidades

Abstract Territory is a legal institute central to Modern Law. In modernity it has been reduced to land, a neutral and universal physical unit, a good that can be traded on the market. Human Geography - especially with Milton Santos - has added complexity to space, showing that it is a social production, where life takes place. Territory has acquired a prominent epistemological status not only for Geography, but also for Law, becoming a central legal institute in the defense of different subjects and dignities. The objective of this article is to delve into the complex interdependence between subjects and territories, making an epistemological dive into this relationship, using the Cultural-Historical theory of subjectivity as a framework. Thus, the problem faced is: what epistemic deepening can the Cultural-Historical theory of subjectivity and human geography provide for the understanding of the legal institute of territory? It is hoped that the conclusions of this article might contribute to the effort to analyze territory as a complex legal institute, inseparable from its subjects and the defense of multiple dignities.

Teachers’ transformative agency in English-medium instruction in higher education in Vietnam: a cultural-historical theory perspective

ABSTRACT Higher education worldwide has witnessed a rapid growth of English-as-a-medium-of-instruction (EMI) courses. Research reported complex challenges teachers encounter in transitioning from using L1 as a medium-of-instruction to EMI and acknowledged the importance of teachers’ agency and perceptions. However, little is known about how teachers exercise agency to act on demands of EMI teaching and the role their perceptions play in this process. Within EMI research, teacher agency is not always systematically theorised. Adopting a cultural-historical theory perspective, this study explores how Vietnamese EMI teachers exercise agency to act on perceived demands of teaching academic subjects in English. Data included in-depth individual interviews with 15 EMI teachers from ten universities in Vietnam. Findings revealed these teachers exercised their agency in response to what they perceived as meaningful and important within the broader societal conditions for EMI and the particular activity settings of their discipline with specific EMI student cohorts. They exercised agency to transform EMI practice to be learner-centred, critical thinking- and content knowledge-focused, and future/outcome-oriented, and through this process also transformed themselves as EMI teachers. Findings have implications for EMI research and practice, and for supporting institutions and teachers embarking on EMI.

EL DESARROLLO DE LA ESCRITURA EN LOS NIÑOS: DE LAS CUEVAS A LA INSTITUCIÓN ESCOLAR

This article aims to develop a reflection on aspects of the development of written language as a cultural instrument produced by humanity, and its appropriation, We defend the necessity for children to appropriate the knowledge historically produced by society to become humanized and subjects of their own history. It is a bibliographical research, grounded in a historical-dialectical materialism approach and based on cultural-historical theory. The research is supported by the studies of Vygotsky, Luria, Leontiev, and Fisher.The results indicate that, throughout history, the access to writing has been the privilege of a minority and education still takes on the form of traditional logic in the school environment, characterizing as an instrument of domination and alienation. It is concluded that access to autonomous writing is one of the basic requirements so that individuals humanize themselves, leave the "cave," and achieve effective social belonging. And that the development of writing in/by the child should be taught as social practices, in real situations of language use, as constitutive acts of consciousness. To overcome traditional logic, it is important for teachers to understand how children learn, based on a theoretical-methodological foundation that promotes the development of autonomy and the fullest human potential.

CONTRIBUTIONS OF VYGOTSKY'S HISTORICAL-CULTURAL THEORY TO SPECIAL AND INCLUSIVE EDUCATION

This article examines how Lev Vygotsky's historical-cultural theory can be applied to the education of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). With an emphasis on concepts such as the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD), mediated learning, social interaction, adaptation of teaching material and a focus on children's abilities and individuality, the study proposes methodological adaptations that can significantly benefit the inclusion and educational development of these children. students

Культурно-историческая теория Л. С. Выготского и советская психология религии: были ли пересечения?

The paper examines the role played by one of the basic Marxist psychological theories in developing Soviet psychology of religion. An attempt is made to find out whether the cultural-historical theory of Lev S. Vygotsky overlapped with this field of knowledge. The author reconstructs a general picture of the objective relationship between cultural-historical theory and Soviet psychology of religion. The nature of this relationship has been identified in four key dimensions: the problems studied, research methodology, academic communities, and academic institutions. The first two dimensions relate to the cognitive aspect of science, the last two – to the social aspect. It is noted that Lev S. Vygotsky’s research did not touch on specific issues of the psychology of religion. The exception is his reference to the problem of magical thinking. Other cultural-historical theorists also did not focus on religious issues. Only a few rare examples of religious life can be found in their works. At the same time, it is argued that the works of cultural-historical theorists were cited by Soviet researchers of religion. However, neither the conceptual ideas of Lev S. Vygotsky (i.e., semiotic mediation, lower and higher mental functions, stages of children’s mental development and age-related new mental structures, etc.) nor his methodological innovations were ever systematically applied and elaborated in Soviet psychology of religion. The paper also finds no trace of an overlap between cultural-historical theory and Soviet psychology of religion in academic communities and institutions, except for the participation of Lev S. Vygotsky and Alexander R. Luria in the discussion of Lucien Lévi-Bruhl’s theory of prelogical thinking, which took place in the 1924-1930s. The article offers explanations for the research results described. Presumably, it was the formation of a negative attitude of science towards religion in the Soviet period under the political and ideological influences that made the meaningful overlap between Lev S. Vygotsky’s cultural-historical theory and the Soviet psychology of religion problematic.

Theory-informed beliefs in early childhood education: contradictions in child development theories and models of play

ABSTRACT Theory-informed practice has a long tradition within the profession of early childhood education in Australia and internationally. Aligned with longstanding policy and curriculum in Australia, the profession has seen a prominence of resources informed by biological, behaviourism/socio-behaviourist, social learning, psycho-genetic, cultural-historical, critical and poststructuralist theories. Despite the plethora of theories being supported within early childhood education and care, little research has been directed to determining if and how educators use theory to inform their play practices. This paper takes up the challenge by surveying 200 Australian early childhood educators about the theories that were most relevant to their practices and the models of play that informed their day-to-day work in centres. Higher qualified educators were informed most by cultural-historical theory whilst technically qualified educators were more guided by social learning theory. Playwork was the model of play found to be most familiar to all educators. However, the results also show a limited alignment between theories of learning and development and models of play, suggesting an interesting contradiction in understandings of educators that is worthy of further research.

Педагогическая технология обучения как помощь профессиональному самоопределению студентов-медиков 2 курса средне профессионального образования

Medical profession two-year training within the framework of secondary vocational education presupposes effective organization of educational activity. The article delves into the results of pedagogical technology of teaching professional communication to 2nd year medical students of secondary vocational education, taking into account the difficulties of their professional development revealed in the study of 2021–2022. The aim of the work is to describe the formation of students’ professional communication skills in the process of solving the contradiction between the level of their communicative competence and the requirement of the profession-al community. Cultural-historical theory of L.S. Vygotsky and his theoretical concept of the sensory period of development are the methodological approach of the study, based on which the authors investigate the profes-sional self-determination of medical students. By analyzing the results of the article the difficulties of training were highlighted: communicative incompetence in professional communication, lack of confidence in meeting the requirements of medical institutions. Thus, the pedagogical technology aims to solve these difficulties by supporting the conditions for students to discuss the results of their learning activities.

Dyslexia in school: contributions of psychopedagogy to the teaching and learning process

Dyslexia learning disorder is more and more present in the school environment, so the performance of the psychopedagogist is fundamental, with the purpose of contributing to the learning and integral development of the subject. In this assertion, it is worth asking: What are the possible actions of the psychopedagogist in school, in the face of this learning disorder? The present work has as its methodology bibliographic research, with authors that deal with the stated theme and that are based on the dialectical critical method and the Historical-Cultural Theory. Therefore, this research becomes relevant in order to contribute significantly to the understanding of what is dyslexia, what are the possible causes, symptoms, possible treatments and diagnoses, besides discussing what possibilities of interventions the psychopedagogist can perform in the face of this learning disorder. Therefore, the results of the study indicated the importance of the work of this professional to collaborate with the learning and integral development of the educator in its entirety.

Educating the digital generation: the role of virtual communities

Introduction. Modern educational space, as well as socialisation, exists in the framework of two interrelated components: the real (material) and virtual (digital) world. Adolescent self-realisation takes place in this mixed, or hybrid, space employing its means. One of them is virtual communities, i.e. communities existing on the platforms of digital resources, using digital devices, information and communication technologies. According to forecasts related to the near future, interaction in communities through ones digital counterparts and artificial intelligence will become a prerequisite for successful performance. However, teachers, having no experience of growing up in the conditions of the unfolding digital world, cannot always objectively assess the role of its factors and apply them as means of education. Aim. The present research aimed to investigate the influence of virtual communities on adolescent self-realization, to determine the conditions that guarantee positive influence and, thus, to validate and justify the pedagogical guidelines that will foster constructive interaction in virtual communities. Methodology and research methods. The study was based on the cultural-historical theory by L. S. Vygotsky. According to it, virtual communities are considered as a way of self-realization for adolescents in the context of digital society culture. Through virtual communities an adolescent undergoes socialization in a mixed environment in the course of his/her own activities and interaction with representatives of certain cultures. The constructive approach sets a course to identify the principles of teaching staff support for the subsequent teenagers’ successful usage of this tool. Data collection was carried out in the form of an online survey using the Yandex Forms Internet service in 2022. 2996 school students of the Chelyabinsk region aged from 13 to 17 years took part in the survey. The authors employed the methods of mathematical data processing: Somers’ D-test, Kramer’s V-test, CHAID (Chi Squared Automatic Interaction Detection) analysis. Results. The majority of teenagers (87 %) are involved in various types of virtual communities (educational, cognitive, and entertaining). The participation in virtual communities has a direct relation to involvement in different types of activities and respective satisfaction with self-realization. It generally implies being involved in several types of virtual communities, spending moderate amount of time in virtual communities, participating in virtual learning societies. Virtual communities have undeniable educational potential. The realization of this potential ensures constructive interaction and self-realization of adolescents, and requires pedagogical support. Scientific novelty. It is proved that virtual communities influence adolescent self-realization. The article determines the conditions of the constructive virtual community influence on adolescent self-realization. The research also substantiates the pedagogical principles, which guarantee the educational potential fulfillment (polysubjectivity, productive online-offline interaction, and proactivity). Moreover, the article established that the strategy of digital educational transformation should set a course to the transition from ensuring accessibility and security in a virtual environment to managing virtual communities for the purpose of the self-development and self-realization. Practical significance. The research outcomes may be applied for the development of educational programmes and the implementation of educational activity in the realities of a digital world.

The cultural-historical method and its contributions for the research of the development of writing in all-inclusive schools located in contexts of linguistic diversity

This paper aims to analyse the contributions of the cultural-historical method to the understanding of the process of learning how to write in schools located in contexts characterized by linguistic diversity, considering both educational inclusion of students with special needs, and from multicultural contexts. Vygotsky (1931/2000) states that his method has three principles: 1) Historical analyses; 2) Analyses of contradictions and interruptions in human development; 3) Assumption that science would not be necessary if essence and appearance was correspondent to each other. Vygotsky researched the higher psychological functions, including writing. The development of writing is mediated by special higher psychological functions, which are internal human capacities, such as memory and perception. One of the main approaches of the experimental and genetic method in the cultural-historical theory consists in creating some situations that allow us to observe how some individuals solve specific problems, aiming to observe the zone of proximal development, that is, all that the individual is not able to do alone, but can do with mediation and external help.

Why does Educational Research Fail? A Reading from Historical-Cultural Theory

RESUMEN La investigación educativa debe no solo producir conocimiento y reflexión académica, sino que, además, debe contribuir a resolver los problemas que estudia. Sin embargo, las condiciones en que funcionan los equipos de investigación y el actual escenario educativo dificultan el desarrollo de investigaciones efectivas. Este ensayo comparte meta-reflexiones y aprendizajes basados en la experiencia de seis investigaciones cualitativas desde una perspectiva histórico-cultural de la actividad. Se identifican errores y desaciertos cometidos por el equipo de investigación y se presentan lecciones aprendidas. Se espera que las experiencias y reflexiones que se presentan en este trabajo puedan ser útiles para futuros trabajos de investigación.

Sínteses da apropriação do conceito de Educação Estética de Vigotski no Ensino de Arte brasileiro (2006-2020)

Abstract The cultural-historical theory on human cognition, elaborated by the Russian researchers Vygotsky, Leontiev, and Luria between 1920 and 1930, reached psychology and education in Brazil from 1980 onwards, presenting a new dimension for the formation and performance of these professionals. Based on these assumptions, a systematic review of the Brazilian scientific literature between 2006 and 2020 was conducted, in search of articles published in areas of intersection between the psychology of education and art education, aiming to identify the circulation, reception, and appropriation of Vygotsky’s concept of aesthetic education. The results found are in line with studies that consider the concepts of “experience” and “environment” as essential for the understanding of cultural-historical theory.

TEORIA DA ATIVIDADE DE ESTUDO E EDUCAÇÃO MATEMÁTICA REALÍSTICA: ARTICULAÇÃO E POSSIBILIDADES

ABSTRACT: This paper is the result of a bibliographic review, whose research is of a qualitative nature and aims to verify the limits and possibilities of a theoretical articulation between the Study Activity Theory (SAT) and the didactic current of Realistic Mathematics Education (RME). The Theory of Study Activity has its origins in Vygotsky's Cultural-Historical Theory, while Realistic Mathematics Education is a proposal by the mathematician educator Freudenthal. The theory about the activity of study relies on the foundation of researchers such as Davidov, Elkonin, Luria, Leontiev, and Repkin, among others, developed in Russian schools in the 1960s. In a short period, Freudenthal's approach appeared to be applied in Dutch schools. Both groups of researchers (Vygotsky and Freudenthal) were concerned with understanding the teaching and learning process: the Russians were focused on the development of the human psyche, specifically, of the child, while the Dutch educators were focused on the teaching of Mathematics in elementary schools. The research results indicate that there is a possibility of articulation between these approaches, especially in the teaching of Mathematics, since the SAT highlights human activity as a source for the development of humanity and that the teaching and learning process needs to consider the historical subject's culture; Freudenthal considers mathematics as a human activity and emphasizes the need to adopt practices that value the “rediscovery” of mathematical concepts through historical and cultural recovery.