Seminar in Human Development

Seminar in Human Development

Culture, Cognition, and Schooling

EDUC 8348-001

Spring 1999

Steven R. Guberman	Time: Tuesdays 4:00 - 6:30 p.m.
Office: Education 215	Location: Education 338
Office hours:
Wednesdays 4:00 - 5:30	Phone: 492-8391
Thursdays 2:30 - 4:00	E-mail: steven.guberman@colorado.edu

In this advanced seminar, we will focus on socio-cultural-historical approaches to understanding children's development and learning in both school and out-of-school settings. Building on the work of Vygotsky, we will examine some of the major concepts in sociocultural theory, including mediation, learning in the zone of proximal development, activity theory, the development of academic and everyday concepts, and the nature of discourse in classrooms and other settings. We will apply these concepts to examine issues related to learning in classrooms (e.g., reform-based math and science instruction, group differences in achievement) and children's learning outside of school.

Readings

Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.

There are packets of photocopied readings on reserve in the Equity, Diversity, and Education Library (Education room 344).

Assignments

Participation

Students' active involvement in the class is, perhaps, the most important ingredient in the success of the course. Participation will take many different forms. Students should be ready to discuss the readings each week, with both questions and topics in mind. Students may be called on to initiate discussion of the readings by, for instance, providing a summary of major topics, asking questions, or presenting their reactions. Students should be prepared to summarize their "brief papers" for the class.

Internet Discussion

Each week you will be expected to contribute to an internet discussion on topics related to the course. You may comment on something that happened in class the week before, on the readings for the next class, another student's comments, or anything related to the course themes and assignments. The tone of the discussion should be thoughtful and scholarly, and may include (among other types of discussion) questions and topics for class discussion; ideas about how the readings relate to other readings, classes or experiences outside of class; and ideas and questions concerning your papers and projects. If you are preparing a "brief paper" for class, post a short message that describes the topic you are writing on. Messages for each week must be posted by noon on Tuesday.

To subscribe to the list, send the following message to listproc@lists.Colorado.EDU

Subscribe educ8348-spring1999@lists.Colorado.EDU <your-full-name>

You should receive a confirmation and instructions from the listserv program.

Brief Papers and Peer Review

Each student will write four brief papers over the course of the semester on topics covered in the readings or in class. The papers should be no more than three pages (double-spaced) and apply to the readings assigned for the class in which the paper is turned in. (Late papers will not be accepted.) Suggestions for paper topics include: a summary and analysis of the major ideas in one or more of the assigned readings; a discussion of how the assigned readings relate to each other, to other readings from the course, or to ideas from other courses; a critique, extension, or application of ideas presented in the readings; a scholarly analysis of something in the readings that surprised, intrigued, or confused you; any other topic or response related to the readings that you wish to pursue. If you are unsure about the appropriateness of your topic, ask the instructor. Let the instructor know (by phone or e-mail) the topic of your paper by noon on the day you will turn it in.

Papers will receive a √-,√, or √+. Papers receiving a √- should be revised and resubmitted following discussion with the instructor; you may (but do not have to) revise papers receiving a √ following discussion with the instructor.

Bring two copies of the paper to class—one for the instructor and one that will be assigned to another student in the class for peer review. Peers should read and provide constructive comments on (but not grade) the paper. Comments may be written on the paper or a separate piece of paper, and should be signed by the reviewer. Peer reviewed papers must be returned to the instructor at the start of the following class. Each student is expected to complete four peer reviews over the course of the semester.

Research proposal

Each student will prepare a formal research proposal that builds on ideas presented in the course, using guidelines for the Spencer Foundation's Small Research Grants Program. The following information (with minor adaptations) is taken from the Spencer Foundation's web site (http://www.spencer.org).

The Foundation’s Small Research Grants Program supports short-term research projects (one year or less) that require no more than $35,000 to complete. It offers a unique opportunity for researchers and teachers in a broad range of institutions who are interested in educational research to obtain support for their work. The program is appropriate for modest-sized research projects, exploratory studies, specific phases of larger investigations, and projects which arise in response to unusual opportunities. The Small Research Grants Program encourages researchers with diverse perspectives to develop ideas and approaches which extend the conventional boundaries of a research question, area, or method. The Program supports individual efforts as well as collaborations.

Restrictions. Grants made under the program range from $1,000 to an upper limit of $35,000. Projects may not extend beyond a year in duration.

Application Procedure. Proposals for support from the Small Grants Program should be in the form of a statement with attachments. The statement should not exceed 1800 words in length (approximately five to seven double-spaced pages) and provide clear information on the following:

a concrete description of the proposed research project;
a brief summary of the relevant literature and of how the research question relates to existing knowledge;
the methodologies and modes of analysis to be employed in the project;
the role of the researcher(s);
the new knowledge about education expected to result from the project;
the potential contribution of that new knowledge to the improvement of education.

The attachments should include:

a one-paragraph summary of the project, written for the interested and informed lay person;
a timetable (not to exceed 12 months) of project activities.

Please note that proposals which exceed the prescribed limit of 1800 words will not be reviewed.

A written outline of the proposal is due in class on March 16. Refer to the "Schedule of Readings and Assignments" for additional information about proposal requirements and deadlines.

Mini-Conference Presentation

In addition to the written proposal, students should prepare an 8-minute oral (AERA-style) presentation about their research proposal for presentation to the class on April 20^th.

Grading

Final grades will be based on participation (including internet discussion), brief papers (including peer reviews), and the research proposal (including mini-conference presentation). Each component will contribute approximately one-third to the final grade. The instructor will provide a midterm evaluation for each student.

Schedule of Readings and Assignments

January 12

Introduction: Contexts of Cognitive Development

Asking Questions About Learning in Context

January 19

Social Origins/Cultural Psychology
Readings

Scribner—Psychologists, Process, and Performance

Cole—Cultural Psychology: A Once and Future Discipline?

January 26

Mediation
Readings

Vygotsky—from Mind in Society (Introduction, Chapters 1-5)

Wertsch, Tulviste, & Hagstrom—A Sociocultural Approach to Agency

February 2

Zone of Proximal Development
Readings

Vygotsky—from Mind in Society (Chapter 6)

Wertsch—The Zone of Proximal Development: Some Conceptual Issues

Greenfield—A Theory of the Teacher in the Learning Activities of Everyday Life

February 9

Genesis
Readings

Scribner—Vygotsky's Uses of History

Saxe—Developing Forms of Arithmetical Thought Among the Oksapmin of Papua New Guinea

February 16

Spontaneous and Scientific Concepts
Readings

Vygotsky—The Development of Academic Concepts in School Aged Children

Panofsky, John-Steiner, & Blackwell—The Development of Scientific Concepts and Discourse

Forman & Larreamendy-Joerns—Making Explicit the Implicit: Classroom Explanations and Conversational Implicatures

February 23

Activity Theory
Readings

Leontiev—The Problem of Activity in Psychology

Wertsch, Minick, & Arns—The Creation of Context in Joint Problem-Solving

Säljö & Wyndhamn—Solving Everyday Problems in the Formal Setting: An Empirical Study of the School as Context for Thought

March 2

Cultural Practices
Readings

Scribner—Mind in Action: A Functional Approach to Thinking

Miller & Goodnow—Cultural Practices: Toward an Integration of Culture and Development

Gallimore & Goldenberg—Activity Settings of Early Literacy: Home and School Factors in Children's Emergent Literacy

March 9

Learning and Thinking Outside of School
Readings

Resnick—Learning In School and Out

Rogoff, Baker-Sennett, Lacasa, & Goldsmith—Development Through Participation in Sociocultural Activity

Saxe—From the Field to the Classroom: Studies in Mathematical Understanding

Assignment

A one-paragraph preliminary description of your research proposal is due in class. It should briefly indicate the general area you plan to pursue.

March 16

Peer Interaction
Readings

Forman & McPhail—Vygotskian Perspective on Children's Collaborative Problem-Solving Activities

Forman & Larreamendy-Joerns—Learning in the Context of Peer Collaboration: A Pluralistic Perspective on Goals and Expertise

Cobb, Boufi, McClain, & Whitenack—Reflective Discourse and Collective Reflection

March 23

Spring Break

March 30

Discourse
Readings

Wertsch & Toma—Discourse and Learning in the Classroom: A Sociocultural Approach

Minick—Teacher Directives: The Social Construction of "Literal Meanings" and "Real Worlds" in Classroom Discourse

Assignment

A five-paragraph description of your research project is due in class. One paragraph should explain and motivate the topic (including conceptual framework), one paragraph should state your primary research questions, one paragraph should summarize your methods, one paragraph should describe how you plan to analyze your data, and one paragraph should note the project's expected contribution to educational theory and practice.

April 6

Distributed Cognition
Readings

Pea—Distributed Cognitions: Psychological and Educational Considerations

Moll, Tapia, & Whitmore—Living Knowledge: The Social Distribution of Cultural Resources for Thinking

April 13

In the Classroom
Readings

Driver, Asoko, Leach, Mortimer, & Scott—Constructing Scientific Knowledge in the Classroom

Brown, Ellery, & Campione—Creating Zones of Proximal Development Electronically

Assignment

A preliminary outline of your research proposal is due in class. It should include the major themes you plan to cover in your proposal, some of the literature you plan to draw from, and an overview of your methods.

April 20

AERA
Assignment

Coinciding with the annual AERA conference, the class will hold its own mini-conference. Each student will present a brief (8-minute) oral presentation about his or her research proposal. Presentations should be appropriate to an AERA conference: They should be well-prepared and practiced; include a brief introduction that summarizes the conceptual framework being used; and briefly summarize the project's methods, anticipated findings, and expected contributions. Overhead transparencies, slides, handouts, and videos are encouraged as appropriate (but are not required). Class members (in the audience) should ask questions and provide feedback following each presentation. The mini-conference will be videotaped for subsequent viewing by the instructor (who will be attending the AERA conference) and others.

April 27

Everyday Cognition in Adults and Children
Readings

Everyone:

Lave, Smith, & Butler—Problem Solving as an Everyday Practice

Select one:

Scribner—Thinking in Action: Some Characteristics of Practical Thought

Levin, Siegler, Druyan, & Gardosh—Everyday and Curriculum-Based Physics Concepts: When Does Short-Term Training Bring Change Where Years of Schooling Have Failed To Do So?

Saxe & Gearhart—A Developmental Analysis of Everyday Topology in Unschooled Straw Weavers

Lave, Murtaugh, & de la Rocha—The Dialectic of Arithmetic in Grocery Shopping

Inagaki—The Effects of Raising Animals on Children's Biological Knowledge

Schliemann & Nunes—A Situated Schema of Proportionality

Masingila—Mathematics Practice in Carpet Laying

Assignment

Written research proposal is due in class. Be sure to follow the guidelines under "Assignments."

Readings On Reserve
(Equity, Diversity, and Education Library)