“L ight and S ustainability under the prism of the C ultural H istorical A ctivity T heory ” Katerina Plakitsi Assistant Professor of Science Education,

““LLightight andand SSustainabilityustainability

under the prism of theunder the prism of the CCulturalultural HHistorical istorical AActivityctivity TTheoryheory””

Katerina PlakitsiAssistant Professor of Science Education, University of Ioannina, Greece

Intensive Programmes (IP)LIGHT, IOANNINA 2011

AIMS OF THE STUDYAIMS OF THE STUDY

Using cultural-historical-activity theory (CHAT) as a tool for Science Education in the context of Sustainability.

Sustainable development is a learning process.

2

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORKTHEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

The period 2005–2014 is the UNESCO Decade for Education for Sustainable Development, and the transdisciplinary field of Education for Sustainability (EfS) has the goal of fostering an environmental stewardship approach to life on Earth.

But EfS rarely includes a spiritual dimension which has the potential to ground students’ experience in a recasting of the I-It to an I-Thou relationship with Nature.

3

Sustainability

4

Sustainability – the capacity to indefinitely meet human needs while preserving the environment – is more than just a noble idea.

It is quite possibly the central imperative of our time, the Gordian Knot1of the 21st century.

(Radulovich 2009)

5

The framework provided by activity theorists is a coherent theoretical framework which establishes science education as participation in the community (Roth & Lee, 2004).

Moreover CHAT bridges the gap between Sustainable Development and science education (light).

6

Sufficiently change human behavior so as to reverse the effects of climate change.

Four evaluative criteria are derived: ◦ environmental desirability, ◦ economic optimization, ◦ social acceptability and equity and ◦ administrative diligence.

7

Tools Developed for Certain Environmental Goals

Historically, the first tools were created as supplementary tools for design processes to increase certain environmental benefits.

These are instruments meant for: ◦ Selecting low impact materials ◦ Minimising toxic or hazardous materials ◦ Designing for recycling ◦ Designing for disassembly ◦ Designing for re-manufacturing ◦ Different environmental standards and

regulations These tools are usually handbooks,

guidelines or support indexes either in printed or in electronic form

8

Activity TheoryActivity Theory

9

RulesRules CommunityCommunity Division of labourDivision of labour

Tools

Subject Object

Figure 1: Components of the activity system (Engeström, 1987)

But nature does not do the recovery (healing) on its own.

Local activists also assist in the operation of nature

 working not only changes the world, the

object of labor, it changes the subject of labor as well.

First, activism changes the world we inhabit; and participation in activism is learning rather than merely leading to learning.

10

Activism as the basic Activism as the basic category for theorizing category for theorizing

learning. learning. (Roth, 2010)(Roth, 2010)

1

Moreover, it is not only the individual who is transformed but, society is transformed as well.

In schools, much of what children and older students produce in formal learning environments ends up in the garbage can

 Roth propose activism as the basic category

for theorizing learning. (Roth, 2010)

11

Activism as the basic Activism as the basic category for theorizing category for theorizing

learning. learning. (Roth, 2010)(Roth, 2010)

2

The category of activism, consciousness as the ideal moment of activity

and subjectification and personality as two developmental dimensions.

12

Activism as the basic Activism as the basic category for theorizing category for theorizing

learning. learning. (Roth, 2010)(Roth, 2010)

3

subjectification personality

They act according to common rather than partial interests, which embody material transformations rather than merely fulfilling epistemic needs directed toward controlling/understanding others.

13

Activism as the basic Activism as the basic category for theorizing category for theorizing

learning. learning. (Roth, 2010)(Roth, 2010)

4

When students participate in and contribute to activism, they add to the common good rather than produce some laboratory report that ends up in the rubbish once the science unit is completed.

14

Activism as the basic Activism as the basic category for theorizing category for theorizing

learning. learning. (Roth, 2010)(Roth, 2010)

5

Importantly, each form of activism is characterized by an object/motive; participating in activism therefore has a motive, which organizes emotion and motivation. (Roth, 2010)

15

Activism as the basic Activism as the basic category for theorizing category for theorizing

learning. learning. (Roth, 2010)(Roth, 2010)

6

Activism is realized by concrete actions, which are organized by and oriented to goals that the subjects of activity.

16

Activism as the basic Activism as the basic category for theorizing category for theorizing

learning. learning. (Roth, 2010)(Roth, 2010)

7

Actions themselves are composed of conditioned operations

The children realize their goal of planting trees (action) but,

if they are familiar with using a spade, they do not have to consciously think about pushing a spade into the ground (an operation).

17

Activism as the basic Activism as the basic category for theorizing category for theorizing

learning. learning. (Roth, 2010)(Roth, 2010)

8

This theory therefore goes against the idea of teaching simple operations and skills before allowing someone to engage in the more complex actions and activities.

It is not that participants just do something: they do something in view of outcomes that affect others outside activism.

18

Activism as the basic Activism as the basic category for theorizing category for theorizing

learning. learning. (Roth, 2010)(Roth, 2010)

9

Activism - lightActivism - lightThe Solar Schools Program.

19

Appliances and

equipment

Buildings

Lighting

Renewable energySolar hot water - Solar Schools - Renewable

Remote Power Generation - Solar homes and community

Activism - lightActivism - lightTitle_________________

20

action

operation

goals

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----

The subject is nothing unless it is the subject of a specific activism;

The tool is nothing unless it is the tool of a specific activism; and so on.

21

Becoming a Subject, Developing Becoming a Subject, Developing Personality Personality

13

The person (personality) arises from the way in which different subjectivities are cobbled together as a result of multiple movements between the different activities.

22

Becoming a Subject, Developing Becoming a Subject, Developing Personality Personality

14

CONCLUSIONS-CONCLUSIONS-IMPLICATIONSIMPLICATIONS

The challenges that we face are enormous and deeply rooted in relationships neglected for far too long.

We must find new ways to provide for a human society that presently has outstripped the limits of global sustainability.

New ways of thinking—an integrated multidimensional approach to the problems of global sustainability—have long been needed, and it is now up to us to decide whether the especially difficult challenges that we are facing today will jolt us into finding and accepting them.

23

CONCLUSIONS-CONCLUSIONS-IMPLICATIONSIMPLICATIONS

CHAT is potentially of great value to sustainable development projects, not only as a means of analysing complex systems but because its approach characterises learning as an outcome of activity within a system.

This both informs and justifies the argument that sustainable development is a learning process (Foster 2002; Scott and Gough 2003).

Indeed, situated learning perceives any sort of social development as a learning process.

24

CONCLUSIONS-CONCLUSIONS-IMPLICATIONSIMPLICATIONS

The complex nature of situated learning and participation also undermines dominant western notions of linear development.

The specific outcomes of participation will depend more on the potential of the participants, their cultural-historical background and a wide range of other factors, than on a specific project intervention.

25

CONCLUSIONS-CONCLUSIONS-IMPLICATIONSIMPLICATIONS

When a theory is translated into instructional prescription, exclusivity becomes the worst enemy of success.

CHAT may answer the need for rigorous evaluation of an open-ended development process,

but it had better not be overplayed lest donors and institutions are encouraged to apply this as an even more intrusive tool of surveillance.

26

27

Thank you!

CommunicationKaterina Plakitsi

Department of Early Childhood Education, Ioannina, Greecee-mail: [email protected]

http://users.uoi.gr/kplakits