Development Of Activity Theory Research Articles

Научное наследие Э. С. Маркаряна в начале XXI века: рецепция, популяризация

The article is devoted to the study of Eduard Sarkisovich Markaryan’s who contributed the formation of the science in culture. The main directions of scientific activity of the scientist are analyzed, first, the development of activity theory. Perceiving many innovative scientific trends of his time, Markaryan successfully integrated them into cultural studies, he was one of the first who turned the ideas of systemic research and synergetic, drawing attention to the prospects of their application in relation to understanding the nature of culture. Markarian proposed one of the first concepts of the morphology of culture, which includes the unity of three subsystems – natural-ecological, socio-economic and socioregulatory. E. S. Markaryan’s significant contribution for development of science which was the study of the essence and role of traditions in cultural processes. A significant part of the scientist’s works is at the interdisciplinary intersection philosophy, cultural studies, ethnography, anthropology, sociology, political science. The article provides an overview of the most remarkable events of the beginning of the XXI century dedicated to E. S. Markaryan.

Activity theory of learning: current status and prospects

The article presents the lines of work of the International Scientific Conference named “Activity theory of learning: current status and prospects”, held at the Department of Psychology of the Moscow State University and dedicated to the jubilee of N.F. Talyzina, professor and academician of the Russian Academy of Education. Methodological and theoretical issues related to the development of activity theory of learning, psycho-pedagogical conditions for efficient acquisition of knowledge and development of personality, as the subject of learning activity, as well as motivational aspects of educational process were reviewed in the course of the Conference. The Conference stressed the significance of the activity theory of learning for educational practice and raised problems to be solved by scientists.

Using Activity Theory to Understand Entrepreneurial Opportunity

Entrepreneurship is often described as the ability to recognize and exploit opportunities. Identifying opportunities is intentional and idiosyncratic insofar as they are recognized as opportunities is a novel and conscious event (otherwise the entrepreneur would be doing nothing new). Yet opportunities also have to be recognized by others as ones that are worthy of being recognized and pursued; the opportunity is a socially embedded construct. Thus opportunity recognition and pursuit can be understood as the skillful integration of prevailing and emerging objects and relations of business activity typically articulated through collaborative enterprise. To expand on this view I use an activity theory perspective that shows how the potentially transformative character of entrepreneurial opportunities unfurls from within the historical and cultural reproduction of collective activities. I note, however, different emphases within current takes on activity theory, notably between subjective perspectives and open-design perspectives. In discussing these theoretical differences using existing entrepreneurial studies, as well as selected data from a study of 90 entrepreneurs in the United Kingdom, I suggest a possible reconciliation. I conclude by suggesting that where activity theory promotes a rich and nuanced understanding of the socially embedded nature of entrepreneurial opportunities, entrepreneurial studies can also contribute to a nuanced development of activity theory insofar as the entrepreneurial object of activity (opportunity recognition and its pursuit through creating a business) has what I identify as an aesthetic as well as pragmatic logic.

New Directions for the Theoretical Development of Activity Theory

New Directions for the Theoretical Development of Activity Theory

Mathematical Problems and Goals in Children's Play of an Educational Game

In his development of activity theory, Leontiev explained that the emergence of divisions of labor in society necessarily leads to collaborative activity in which individuals, with their own goals and actions, contribute to collective achievements. In this article, we describe emergent "divisions of labor" that are common in children's collective problem solving. Parallel to Leontiev's argument, we show that when labor becomes divided, children often become engaged in accomplishing different goals leading to different learning outcomes. We illustrate the utility of this analytic tack in analyses of 64 third and fourth graders playing an educational game, Treasure Hunt.