A Cultural-Historical Activity Theory Approach for the Design of a Qualitative Methodology in Science Educational Research
Cultural-Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) was conceived and has been developed as an interventionist proposal and mostly as an analytical tool. The aim of this paper is to explore the connections between ontological and epistemological considerations underpinning CHAT and concrete research methodol...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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SAGE Publishing
2021-12-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Qualitative Methods |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1177/16094069211060664 |
| _version_ | 1818400269940031488 |
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| author | Carme Grimalt-Álvaro PhD Jaume Ametller PhD |
| author_facet | Carme Grimalt-Álvaro PhD Jaume Ametller PhD |
| author_sort | Carme Grimalt-Álvaro PhD |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Cultural-Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) was conceived and has been developed as an interventionist proposal and mostly as an analytical tool. The aim of this paper is to explore the connections between ontological and epistemological considerations underpinning CHAT and concrete research methodological decisions. We discuss how considerations of the philosophical basis of CHAT and more recent developments in philosophy can offer specific guidance to methodological decisions by exploring an example of research about using technology to teach in secondary science education. The explicit definition of the ontological character of activity, the status of the concept of transformation, or considering points of entry as an epistemological device suggest a possible logic to define data-gathering methods which could be generalised to other areas of CHAT research. We also discuss complementary frameworks, in particular the concept of identity, to develop a more comprehensive understanding of the complex and dynamic nature of the activity. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-14T07:33:54Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-055e43d9f5ea41d081d0d754bc75a361 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1609-4069 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-14T07:33:54Z |
| publishDate | 2021-12-01 |
| publisher | SAGE Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Qualitative Methods |
| spelling | doaj.art-055e43d9f5ea41d081d0d754bc75a3612022-12-21T23:11:16ZengSAGE PublishingInternational Journal of Qualitative Methods1609-40692021-12-012010.1177/16094069211060664A Cultural-Historical Activity Theory Approach for the Design of a Qualitative Methodology in Science Educational ResearchCarme Grimalt-Álvaro PhDJaume Ametller PhDCultural-Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) was conceived and has been developed as an interventionist proposal and mostly as an analytical tool. The aim of this paper is to explore the connections between ontological and epistemological considerations underpinning CHAT and concrete research methodological decisions. We discuss how considerations of the philosophical basis of CHAT and more recent developments in philosophy can offer specific guidance to methodological decisions by exploring an example of research about using technology to teach in secondary science education. The explicit definition of the ontological character of activity, the status of the concept of transformation, or considering points of entry as an epistemological device suggest a possible logic to define data-gathering methods which could be generalised to other areas of CHAT research. We also discuss complementary frameworks, in particular the concept of identity, to develop a more comprehensive understanding of the complex and dynamic nature of the activity.https://doi.org/10.1177/16094069211060664 |
| spellingShingle | Carme Grimalt-Álvaro PhD Jaume Ametller PhD A Cultural-Historical Activity Theory Approach for the Design of a Qualitative Methodology in Science Educational Research International Journal of Qualitative Methods |
| title | A Cultural-Historical Activity Theory Approach for the Design of a Qualitative Methodology in Science Educational Research |
| title_full | A Cultural-Historical Activity Theory Approach for the Design of a Qualitative Methodology in Science Educational Research |
| title_fullStr | A Cultural-Historical Activity Theory Approach for the Design of a Qualitative Methodology in Science Educational Research |
| title_full_unstemmed | A Cultural-Historical Activity Theory Approach for the Design of a Qualitative Methodology in Science Educational Research |
| title_short | A Cultural-Historical Activity Theory Approach for the Design of a Qualitative Methodology in Science Educational Research |
| title_sort | cultural historical activity theory approach for the design of a qualitative methodology in science educational research |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1177/16094069211060664 |
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