Didactical, pedagogical and technical objects interlocked in VLEs
Pascal MarquetLISEC (Interuniversity Laboratory of Sciences of Education
and Communication) – University of StrasbourgKeynote at the E&T 2010 Summer school
30/07/2010, Faculty of Humanities
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Introduction
1. Activity theory and appropriation of tools: toward the concept of instrumental genesis
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Introduction
1. Activity theory and appropriation of tools: toward the concept of instrumental genesis
2. Elements of knowledge interlocked in computing systems: didactical artefact, pedagogical artefact, technical artefact
4
Introduction
1. Activity theory and appropriation of tools: toward the concept of instrumental genesis
2. Elements of knowledge interlocked in computing systems: didactical artefact, pedagogical artefact, technical artefact
3. Understanding usages in order to improve e-learning : toward the concept of instrumental conflict
5
Introduction
1. Activity theory and appropriation of tools: toward the concept of instrumental genesis
2. Elements of knowledge interlocked in computing systems: didactical artefact, pedagogical artefact, technical artefact
3. Understanding usages in order to improve e-learning: toward the concept of instrumental conflict
4. A bond between didactical and computing approaches
6
Introduction
1. Activity theory and appropriation of tools: toward the concept of instrumental genesis
2. Elements of knowledge interlocked in computing systems: didactical artefact, pedagogical artefact, technical artefact
3. Understanding usages in order to improve e-learning: toward the concept of instrumental conflict
4. A bond between didactical and computing approaches 5. Discussion
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1. Activity theory and appropriation of tools: toward the concept of instrumental genesis
Engeström (1987): one of the authors and promoters of the activity theory
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1. Activity theory and appropriation of tools: toward the concept of instrumental genesis
Engeström (1987): one of the authors and promoters of the activity theory
The structure of a human activity system
ToolObjectDivision of labor
CommunautyRulesSubject
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1. Activity theory and appropriation of tools: toward the concept of instrumental genesis Vygotsky’s first idea is that human being transmits his tools to
his descendants
ToolCommunautySubject ToolObjectDivision of labor
CommunautyRulesSubject
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1. Activity theory and appropriation of tools: toward the concept of instrumental genesis Vygotsky’s first idea is that human being transmits his tools to
his descendants Vygotsky’s second idea is that language is a specific tool in the
sense that it needs to be learned for accessing knowledge
ToolCommunautySubject ToolObjectDivision of labor
CommunautyRulesSubject
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1. Activity theory and appropriation of tools: toward the concept of instrumental genesis Vygotsky’s first idea is that human being transmits his tools to
his descendants Vygotsky’s second idea is that language is a specific tool in the
sense that it needs to be learned for accessing knowledge Leontiev’s main idea is that human being activities are
motivated by social belonging and that knowledge acquisition is the result of interactions between subjects and objects of the social environmentToolCommunautySubject ToolObjectDivision of
laborCommunautyRulesSubject
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1. Activity theory and appropriation of tools: toward the concept of instrumental genesis
Rabardel’s (2005) interest is the Subject-Tool-Object triangle
ToolObjectDivision of labor
CommunautyRulesSubjectToolObjectSubject
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1. Activity theory and appropriation of tools: toward the concept of instrumental genesis
Rabardel’s (2005) interest is the Subject-Tool-Object triangle Artefact: in Anthropology, any object transformed by human
being
ToolObjectDivision of labor
CommunautyRulesSubjectToolObjectSubject
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1. Activity theory and appropriation of tools: toward the concept of instrumental genesis
Rabardel’s (2005) interest is the Subject-Tool-Object triangle Artefact: in Anthropology, any object transformed by human
being Instrument: artefact being used by a subject as the result of its
usage
ToolObjectDivision of labor
CommunautyRulesSubjectToolObjectSubject
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1. Activity theory and appropriation of tools: toward the concept of instrumental genesis Artefacts can be material objects or symbolic objects
ArtefactsSubjectInstrumentationInstrumentsInstrumentalisationMaterial objectToolsKnowledgeSymbolic object
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1. Activity theory and appropriation of tools: toward the concept of instrumental genesis Artefacts can be material objects or symbolic objects Instrumentalisation: attribution of a function
ArtefactsSubjectInstrumentationInstrumentsInstrumentalisationMaterial objectToolsKnowledgeSymbolic object
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1. Activity theory and appropriation of tools: toward the concept of instrumental genesis Artefacts can be material objects or symbolic objects Instrumentalisation: attribution of a function Instrumentation: adaptation of existing knowledge
ArtefactsSubjectInstrumentationInstrumentsInstrumentalisationMaterial objectToolsKnowledgeSymbolic object
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2. Elements of knowledge interlocked in computing systems: didactical artefact, pedagogical artefact, technical artefact It is necessary to distinguish what is to be learned and how it is
represented (noésis/sémiosis; Duval, 1995)
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2. Elements of knowledge interlocked in computing systems: didactical artefact, pedagogical artefact, technical artefact It is necessary to distinguish what is to be learned and how it is
represented (noésis/sémiosis; Duval, 1995) The didactical artefact is the disciplinary or professional
knowledge
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2. Elements of knowledge interlocked in computing systems: didactical artefact, pedagogical artefact, technical artefact It is necessary to distinguish what is to be learned and how it is
represented (noésis/sémiosis; Duval, 1995) The didactical artefact is the disciplinary or professional
knowledge The pedagogical artefact can take two forms:
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2. Elements of knowledge interlocked in computing systems: didactical artefact, pedagogical artefact, technical artefact It is necessary to distinguish what is to be learned and how it is
represented (noésis/sémiosis; Duval, 1995) The didactical artefact is the disciplinary or professional
knowledge The pedagogical artefact can take two forms:
– the semiotical representation of the didactical object.
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2. Elements of knowledge interlocked in computing systems: didactical artefact, pedagogical artefact, technical artefact It is necessary to distinguish what is to be learned and how it is
represented (noésis/sémiosis; Duval, 1995) The didactical artefact is the disciplinary or professional
knowledge The pedagogical artefact can take two forms:
– the semiotical representation of the didactical object.– the pedagogical scenario in which the didactical object has
been included
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2. Elements of knowledge interlocked in computing systems: didactical artefact, pedagogical artefact, technical artefact In other words, learning is nothing else than the instrumental
genesis of both the didactical and the pedagogical artefacts
ArtefactsSubjectInstrumentationInstrumentsInstrumentalisationMaterial objectToolsKnowledgeSymbolic objectMaterial objectSymbolic objectDidactical artefactInstrumentationsInstrumentsToolsKnowledgeInstrumentalisationsPedagogical artefactuser-learnerTechnical artefact: didactical instrument: pedagogical instrument: technical instrument
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2. Elements of knowledge interlocked in computing systems: didactical artefact, pedagogical artefact, technical artefact In other words, learning is nothing else than the instrumental
genesis of both the didactical and the pedagogical artefacts While using ICT, a third technical artefact is added
ArtefactsSubjectInstrumentationInstrumentsInstrumentalisationMaterial objectToolsKnowledgeSymbolic objectMaterial objectSymbolic objectDidactical artefactInstrumentationsInstrumentsToolsKnowledgeInstrumentalisationsPedagogical artefactuser-learnerTechnical artefact: didactical instrument: pedagogical instrument: technical instrument
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2. Elements of knowledge interlocked in computing systems: didactical artefact, pedagogical artefact, technical artefact In other words, learning is nothing else than the instrumental genesis
of both the didactical and the pedagogical artefacts While using ICT, a third technical artefact is added
e-learning means 3 simultaneous instrumental genesis
ArtefactsSubjectInstrumentationInstrumentsInstrumentalisationMaterial objectToolsKnowledgeSymbolic objectMaterial objectSymbolic objectDidactical artefactInstrumentationsInstrumentsToolsKnowledgeInstrumentalisationsPedagogical artefactuser-learnerTechnical artefact: didactical instrument: pedagogical instrument: technical instrument
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3. Understanding usages in order to improve e-learning: toward the concept of instrumental conflict The studies on the usage of ICTs in a scholar system or in
training courses present two main forms
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3. Understanding usages in order to improve e-learning: toward the concept of instrumental conflict The studies on the usage of ICTs in a scholar system or in
training courses present two main forms– either they are set in the domain of engineering/ study on
usage/ reengineering
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3. Understanding usages in order to improve e-learning: toward the concept of instrumental conflict The studies on the usage of ICTs in a scholar system or in
training courses present two main forms– either they are set in the domain of engineering/ study on
usage/ reengineering– or they constitute the pilot step of a large-scaled display of
provided key solutions
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3. Understanding usages in order to improve e-learning: toward the concept of instrumental conflict The studies on the usage of ICTs in a scholar system or in
training courses present two main forms– either they are set in the domain of engineering/ study on
usage/ reengineering– or they constitute the pilot step of a large-scaled display of
provided key solutions The studies on usage must explore the triple instrumental
genesis
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3. Understanding usages in order to improve e-learning: toward the concept of instrumental conflict The studies on the usage of ICTs in a scholar system or in
training courses present two main forms– either they are set in the domain of engineering/ study on
usage/ reengineering– or they constitute the pilot step of a large-scaled display of
provided key solutions The studies on usage must explore the triple instrumental
genesis– the one of the technical system of course
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3. Understanding usages in order to improve e-learning: toward the concept of instrumental conflict The studies on the usage of ICTs in a scholar system or in
training courses present two main forms– either they are set in the domain of engineering/ study on
usage/ reengineering– or they constitute the pilot step of a large-scaled display of
provided key solutions The studies on usage must explore the triple instrumental genesis
– the one of the technical system of course– the ones of formalism for representation and of the
pedagogical scenario required by the computing system
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3. Understanding usages in order to improve e-learning: toward the concept of instrumental conflict The studies on the usage of ICTs in a scholar system or in training
courses present two main forms– either they are set in the domain of engineering/ study on
usage/ reengineering– or they constitute the pilot step of a large-scaled display of
provided key solutions The studies on usage must explore the triple instrumental genesis
– the one of the technical system of course– the ones of formalism for representation and of the
pedagogical scenario required by the computing system– the ones of the knowledge which forms the subject of learning
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3. Understanding usages in order to improve e-learning: toward the concept of instrumental conflict
The aim to explore the usage of e-learning consists in analyzing the construction of the didactical, pedagogical and technical instruments
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3. Understanding usages in order to improve e-learning: toward the concept of instrumental conflict
The aim to explore the usage of e-learning consists in analyzing the construction of the didactical, pedagogical and technical instruments
The instrumental conflict concept reports some inadequacy -unfortunately frequent- of one of the three artifacts with the other ones and thus of the impossibility for the learner to simultaneously instrumentalise and instrument the whole, and as a result to fully adapt to the requirements.
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• First type of instrumental conflict
When one reproduces normal situations while introducing a computing system, like using cinematic techniques to show a theatre play
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• First type of instrumental conflict
When one reproduces normal situations while introducing a computing system, like using cinematic techniques to show a theatre play
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• Second type of instrumental conflict
When a disciplinary content does not suit with the pedagogical scenario, like a movie that tells a story which cannot be filmed
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• Second type of instrumental conflict
When a disciplinary content does not suit with the pedagogical scenario, like a movie that tells a story which cannot be filmed
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• Third type of instrumental conflict
When a disciplinary content needs to be taught with an approach that have to be invented, like making a film based on a novel
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• Third type of instrumental conflict
When a disciplinary content needs to be taught with an approach that have to be invented, like making a film based on a novel
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3. Understanding usages in order to improve e-learning: toward the concept of instrumental conflict
An instrumental conflict appears each time that one of the three artefacts constitute an obstacle to the appropriation of one or of the two other artefacts
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3. Understanding usages in order to improve e-learning: toward the concept of instrumental conflict
An instrumental conflict appears each time that one of the three artefacts constitute an obstacle to the appropriation of one or of the two other artefacts
Difficulties encountered by users are not necessarily technical
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3. Understanding usages in order to improve e-learning: toward the concept of instrumental conflict
An instrumental conflict appears each time that one of the three artefacts constitute an obstacle to the appropriation of one or of the two other artefacts
Difficulties encountered by users are not necessarily technical Their origin can be pedagogical or didactical
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3. Understanding usages in order to improve e-learning: toward the concept of instrumental conflict
An instrumental conflict appears each time that one of the three artefacts constitute an obstacle to the appropriation of one or of the two other artefacts
Difficulties encountered by users are not necessarily technical Their origin can be pedagogical or didactical The concept of instrumental conflict enables to better analyse
the (potential) lack of efficiency of e-learning situations
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4. A bond between didactical and computing approaches
From a pure theoretical perspective, the concept of instrumental conflict offers to unify two other ways to consider ICTs in education and training: the didacticians’ way and the computer scientists’ one
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4. A bond between didactical and computing approaches
From a pure theoretical perspective, the concept of instrumental conflict offers to unify two other ways to consider ICTs in education and training: the didacticians’ way and the computer scientists’ one
In didactics of mathematics, difficulties in appropriation of computer-based didactical objects are explained by two concepts
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4. A bond between didactical and computing approaches
From a pure theoretical perspective, the concept of instrumental conflict offers to unify two other ways to consider ICTs in education and training: the didacticians’ way and the computer scientists’ one
In didactics of mathematics, difficulties in appropriation of computer-based didactical objects are explained by two concepts– the double reference: students continue to make objects
function in accordance with their paper-pencil reference
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4. A bond between didactical and computing approaches
From a pure theoretical perspective, the concept of instrumental conflict offers to unify two other ways to consider ICTs in education and training: the didacticians’ way and the computer scientists’ one
In didactics of mathematics, difficulties in appropriation of computer-based didactical objects are explained by two concepts– the double reference: students continue to make objects
function in accordance with their paper-pencil reference– the pseudo-transparency: refers to the different possibilities
to write those objects (mouse and keyboard vs. pencil)
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4. A bond between didactical and computing approaches
In computer science, difficulties of automatic reuse or recombination of learning objects are explained by two other concepts
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4. A bond between didactical and computing approaches
In computer science, difficulties of automatic reuse or recombination of learning objects are explained by two other concepts– the granularity of digital resources: refers to their level of
reusability (elementary resources, relevant set of resource, module)
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4. A bond between didactical and computing approaches
In computer science, difficulties of automatic reuse or recombination of learning objects are explained by two other concepts– the granularity of digital resources: refers to their level of
reusability (elementary resources, relevant set of resource, module)
– their interoperability: compatibility between different computing systems susceptible to make another use of them
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4. A bond between didactical and computing approaches
Didactical approachFormalism for pre-sentation, scenarioDisciplinary knowledge
Computing system
Technical objectComputing approachInstrumental approachDidactical object
Pedagogical object
Technical object
Technical object
Didactical object(double reference/pseudo-transparency)
Pedagogical object(interoperability/granularity)
Instrumental conflicts
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4. A bond between didactical and computing approaches
Didactical approachFormalism for pre-sentation, scenarioDisciplinary knowledge
Computing system
Technical objectComputing approachInstrumental approachDidactical object
Pedagogical object
Technical object
Technical object
Didactical object(double reference/pseudo-transparency)
Pedagogical object(interoperability/granularity)
Instrumental conflicts
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4. A bond between didactical and computing approaches
Didactical approachFormalism for pre-sentation, scenarioDisciplinary knowledge
Computing system
Technical objectComputing approachInstrumental approachDidactical object
Pedagogical object
Technical object
Technical object
Didactical object(double reference/pseudo-transparency)
Pedagogical object(interoperability/granularity)
Instrumental conflicts
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5. Discussion
Learning can be defined as transforming cultural artefacts in instruments for oneself
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5. Discussion
Learning can be defined as transforming cultural artefacts in instruments for oneself
e-learning can be seen as the combination of three interlocked artefacts, didactical, pedagogical, technical, which constitute three different instruments constructed simultaneously
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5. Discussion
Learning can be defined as transforming cultural artefacts in instruments for oneself
e-learning can be seen as the combination of three interlocked artefacts, didactical, pedagogical, technical, which constitute three different instruments constructed simultaneously
Difficulties in using can arise from one of the three artefacts and not from ICTs only, which would not respond to users’ expectations
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5. Discussion
Learning can be defined as transforming cultural artefacts in instruments for oneself
e-learning can be seen as the combination of three interlocked artefacts, didactical, pedagogical, technical, which constitute three different instruments constructed simultaneously
Difficulties in using can arise from one of the three artefacts and not from ICTs only, which would not respond to users’ expectations
The challenge is to better define what can be learned by e-learning, which remains an instructional engineering issue
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5. Discussion
If the concept of instrumental conflict is relevant, its support the idea that with e-learning one can neither teach the same things nor teach in the same way
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5. Discussion
If the concept of instrumental conflict is relevant, its support the idea that with e-learning one can neither teach the same things nor teach in the same way
We still have to invent scenarios which are somehow equivalent to those of contemporary cinema, in order to present artefacts that will become instruments for the user
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5. Discussion
If the concept of instrumental conflict is relevant, its support the idea that with e-learning one can neither teach the same things nor teach in the same way
We still have to invent scenarios which are somehow equivalent to those of contemporary cinema, in order to present artefacts that will become instruments for the user
Otherwise, all sorts of instrumental conflicts can potentially affect the impact of e-learning situations
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5. Discussion
If the concept of instrumental conflict is relevant, its support the idea that with e-learning one can neither teach the same things nor teach in the same way
We still have to invent scenarios which are somehow equivalent to those of contemporary cinema, in order to present artefacts that will become instruments for the user
Otherwise, all sorts of instrumental conflicts can potentially affect the impact of e-learning situations
A new way of designing pedagogical situation has to emerge if we really want e-learning to serve the knowledge society
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Selection of references
Commission Européenne (2010). http://europa.eu/legislation_summaries/ information_society/l24226a_fr.htm [last consultation 13/07/10].
Duval, R. (1995). Sémiosis et pensée humaine, Registres sémiotiques des apprentissages intellectuels. Paris, Peter Lang.
Engeström, Y. (1987). Learning by expanding. An activity theoretical approach to developmental research. Helsinki, Orienta-Consultit Oy.
Marquet, P. (2004). Informatique et enseignement : progrès ou évolution ?, Liège, Mardaga.
Papert, S. (2003). Conférence inaugurale d’EIAH 2003, Strasbourg, ULP, http://www.canalc2.tv
Rabardel, P. (1995). Les hommes et les technologies. Approche cognitive des instruments contemporains, Paris, Armand Colin.
Russell, T.L. (2001). The no significant difference phenomenon: a comparative research annotated bibliography on technology for distance education. Raleigh NC, IDEC (2010, www.nosignificantdifference.org [last consultation 13/07/10]).
