Search

In this paper, I show the relevance of using Activity Theory in the study of situated literacy. In order to do that, I draw on ethnographic data collected during a six-month period that focuses on the literacy practices of a warehouse administrator who studies on a work-basis for the completion of a National Vocational Qualification in the UK. The employee’s work context and the process of studying for a qualification are examined here as two distinct activity systems, within which various literacy events are enacted and literacy practices are developed. The result is a detailed study of the interaction of these two activity systems, and it becomes clear that work practices and qualification practices are connected in many ways. One of the most important connecting factors is the vocational portfolio, which acts as a boundary object between the two distinct yet highly recontextualising activity systems.

In the acute social crisis of our time many people are turning to social science for the solution of our social problems. Society seems to be saying, in effect, "Scientific methodology in the natural sciences and their accompanying technologies has brought us to the brink of extinction; let it save us through the social sciences and their technologies." The great foundations, governmental agencies, business organizations, and the universities are repsonding to this demand by directing increasing amounts of money and personnel to activities dealing with human relations, intergroup relations, and social "problems" generally. Those social scientists responsible for the utilization of these funds are deeply impressed by the social responsibility placed upon them. They are suddenly confronted by issues made acute by the requirement that policies be set and action taken immediately. One such issue is especially bothersome. It may be stated in the form of a question: what is the proper relation between applied and basic research at this point in the development of social science? On the one hand, society is calling for speedy answers to its problems lest the answers come too late. On the other hand, sound recommendations for action can only be based upon a thorough knowledge of the causal systems and the interrelations of the variables determining the workings of society. Can social science safely devote its limited resources to the solution of immediate social problems? Can it safely work only on the basic scientific problems? This paper will not pretend to provide final answers to these difficult questions. Merton's keen analysis of the situation with his proposal for investigation of the issues (17) offers a method of approach, however, which should be taken most seriously. Only by examining in detail the known effects of concentrating efforts in one direction or the other can we reach sound decisions. Abstract theorizing about the nature of basic and applied research can too easily mislead us. Plausible logical relations between the two are easy to elaborate, but there is a justified skepticism concerning the results of such exercises up to the present. In order to be as realistic as possible, I shall confine my remarks here to the field of work that I know best: social psychology. It may help us understand our central problems if we examine in some detail the effects upon basic social psychology produced by the greatly expanded activities that have taken place during the past decade in applied fields. During this brief span of years applied social psychology has captured an unprecedented proportion of the time and energy of social psychologists. As a result of this concentration on applied problems, what have been the gains or losses for basic social psychology? Because there has been no adequately quantitative or controlled research upon this question, only opinions can be expressed in answer to it. The question is of such vital importance to the development of social science, however, that in 198

This paper is based on a long-term study of professional writing students in an internship, "work experience" course. Building upon work theorizing the problematic gap between classroom instruction and workplace practice, this study extends analysis to explore the role of transitional pedagogy in the learning dynamics that populate the "space between" the classroom and the workplace. It shows how students use both their acquired strategic resourcefulness and tools such as transitionally located scaffolding structures to facilitate workplace participation. The analysis is framed largely by learning community theory and activity theory, with emphasis on the concepts of developmental transfer and consequential transition, which prove productive for elucidating the nature of transformative learning and for assessing the effects of transitional pedagogy. I examine both conventional on-site work placements and the additional challenges that off-site internships present. The evidence here suggests that an effective transitional writing pedagogy should aim to create a transitional community of practice, a "back region" or "third space" where students and mentors can problem-solve and share resources. Findings support recent elaborations of activity theory in contexts of transitional learning and educational reform, and reinforce the need to strengthen weak links in school-employer work experience collaborations.Key words: internship, learning community, activity theory, developmental transfer

This paper examined a particular online learning activity, embedded within a computer supported collaborative learning (CSCL) environment incorporated as part of the larger context of participation in a unique national agricultural leadership development program. Process outcomes such as a high level of collaboration and active peer facilitation as well as demonstration by participants of a variety of holistic thinking skills were observed via a transcript analysis of online interactions. This led to speculations that the particular design features embedded within the context of the online collaborative issues analysis project (IAP), were thought to clearly reflect a constructivist approach. Methods to confirm this included evaluating the learning activity in light of nine characteristics of an authentic task in CSCL environments, and using activity theory as a conceptual framework with which to further examine the extent to which the IAP reflected the values and principles of a constructivist online learning environment.