Vygotsky and research

This book provides readers with an overview of the implications for research of the theoretical work which acknowledges a debt to the writings of L.S. Vygotsky. A concise introduction to Vygotsky's original thesis and discussions on his approach to research methods is given; this is followed by an exploration of the research practices which have arisen in fields developed on the basis of his original thesis. These include: Socio-cultural studies with a focus on mediated action; Distributed Cognition, Situated Cognition and Activity Theory. To aid understanding, chapters devoted to each area wi.

Vygotsky and Research -- Figures and tables -- Figures -- Tables -- Acknowledgements -- Chapter 1 An introduction to Vygotskian theory -- Mediation -- Tools, signs and artefacts as mediators -- Social origins of higher mental functioning in the individual -- Genetic or developmental method -- Scientific and everyday concepts -- The zone of proximal development -- Lower and higher elementary functioning -- Sense/meaning -- Chapter 2 An overview of research undertaken by Vygotsky and some of his colleagues -- The process of dialectical synthesis -- Developmental perspective -- Anti-reductionism -- The method of dual stimulation -- Note -- Chapter 3 The sociocultural tradition -- Separability -- Process ontology -- Mediated action -- Bakhtin and 'voice' -- Dialectical or dialogical models? -- Appropriation and mastery -- Remembering -- Transformation of theories -- The wider situation of development -- Chapter 4 Researching distributed cognition -- Distributed cognition -- Shared or distributed models -- Cognitive ethnography -- Dynamics of historical change -- Situated cognition, situated learning and communities of practice -- The situated development of theory -- External represen…