ACTIVITY THEORY AS A RESEARCH FRAMEWORK FOR EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14571/brajets.v11.n3.477-491

Abstract

Activity theory can be used as a framework for analyzing any human activity mediated by an artifact, including learning activities mediated by educational technologies. However, the authors who proposed the theory have not presented methods or procedures for its application, so each research has to structure yours own way of using it. To contribute to this problem, the objective of this work was to identify and analyze how the theory is applied in works in the field of educational technology and propose suggestions of procedures to be used in future researches. A bibliometric research followed by a qualitative analysis of works in this area was used as research strategy. The results indicate that the activity theory is already applied in the field of educational technology as an analysis tool. The advantages of its application consist in providing a holistic view of the social and complex context in which technologies are inserted, as well as the identification of the interrelationships and contradictions between the various actors (subjects and community) and the other elements of the activity (mediating artefacts, division of labor and rules and customs). Although the theory originally proposed does not present a standardized protocol of how the framework should be applied, the qualitative analysis was able to identify in the analyzed works a general common line of its use. This general line was synthesized in the form of an application model of the activity theory framework presented at the end of this article.

Author Biographies

Marco André Mazzarotto Filho, Universidade Federal do Paraná, UFPR

Doutorando em Design no Programa de Pós-Graduação em Design da UFPR, estudo formas integradas e interdisciplinares de conduzir o processo de ensino/aprendizagem de representação gráfica digital. Mestre em Design pela Universidade Federal do Paraná (UFPR), Especialista em Gestão do Design pela UTP e Graduado em Desenho Industrial – Programação Visual pela PUC/PR. Como profissional, já atuou no desenvolvimento de projetos de design, web design e design instrucional para empresas como HSBC, GVT, Renault, Unicuritiba, entre outras. Para o Governo Federal foi responsável pelos projetos de design de identidade visual e embalagem para o programa brasileiro de Assistência Humanitária Internacional e pelo projeto de padronização e design dos novos documentos de registro civil (Certidões de Nascimento, Casamento e Óbito). Já lecionou nos cursos de Design Gráfico e de Produto da UFPR, no curso de Comunicação Social do Centro Universitário Uninter e é atualmente professor 40 horas DE nos cursos de Design da UTFPR.

Vânia Ribas Ulbricht, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, UFSC

É licenciada em Matemática, com mestrado e doutorado em Engenharia de Produção pela UFSC. Foi professora visitante da Universidade Federal do ParanáÌ no Programa de Pós-Graduação em Design (2012-2014). Pesquisadora da Université Paris 1 (Panthéon-Sorbonne) e presta serviço voluntario no PPEGC da UFSC. Foi bolsista em Produtividade e Desenvolvimento Tecnológico e Extensão Inovadora de 2009 a 2013, DT/CNPq. Coordenadora do projeto: Mídias, Tecnologias e Recursos de Linguagem para um ambiente de aprendizagem acessível aos surdos, aprovado pelo CNPq através da CHAMADA No 84/2013 MCTI-SECIS/CNPq - TECNOLOGIA ASSISTIVA / B - Núcleos Emergentes É bolsista do CNPq na modalidade DTI-A.

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Published

2018-11-01

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Article