Retreating to a Vygotskian stage where pre-service teachers play out social, ‘dramatical collisions’

This article describes student engagement in simulation games in a field trip retreat for first-year Education students. The authors propose that the methodology can be a useful vehicle to address key social elements of pre-service teachers’ professional learning. They explore a theoretical view of...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Josef de Beer, Elizabeth Henning
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: University of the Free State 2011-12-01
Series:Acta Academica
Online Access:http://196.255.246.28/index.php/aa/article/view/1336
Description
Summary:This article describes student engagement in simulation games in a field trip retreat for first-year Education students. The authors propose that the methodology can be a useful vehicle to address key social elements of pre-service teachers’ professional learning. They explore a theoretical view of such collaborative learning from the neo-Vygotskian perspective of activity theory, in which the simulation games are viewed as the main tool for mediating learning. From this position they suggest that field trips hold some promise for exploring HIV/AIDS education, issues of race and racism, and an understanding of poverty and food security in education.
ISSN:0587-2405
2415-0479