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Crossing material boundaries: A cultural-historical case study of elearning materials development in China
Motteram, G
[Thesis].University of Manchester;2007.
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Abstract
AbstractThis thesis makes use of activity theory as a lens to explore how professionalslearn. The study focuses initially on my professional understandings arising fromthe application of Cultural Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) to the eChina-UKproject funded by HEFCE in the UK, an attempt to develop collaborative elearningprojects in British and Chinese universities, and secondly on purposefulinterviews with project staff about their professional learning in the project.The thesis begins by setting the scene for the project showing how it cameabout. The literature review explores CHAT and allied issues of Adult Educationconsidering how adults may learn in both formal and informal contexts. It alsocontextualises the project by giving background on Higher Education, China anddistance/ e-learning. The research questions that it addresses are:1. What roles do artefacts have in mediating collaborative working on elearningmaterials?2. How do boundary crossers/ brokers impact on a project of this type?3. How do different cultural histories have an impact on the disposition thatthe ‘developers’ have to artefacts and materials?4. What and how do the subjects of the activity systems learn? What role, ifany, do artefacts play? What role, if any, do the brokers play in thelearning?This practitioner case study makes use of a variety of data. The initial dataconsisted of field notes which were part of the project process. Theoreticallydrivenhunches that surfaced from these data led to further purposeful datacollection via interviews investigating the following: Virtual LearningEnvironments (VLEs), a materials design template and pilots; and boundarycrossers. Also considered is the nature of the professional learning that occurredfor eight core participants in the project. The thesis in addition explores theconstructs of transfer, transformation and expansive learning. The studyproposes a refinement of our understanding of these constructs. It alsodemonstrates how important and significant boundary objects are to successfulinternational project work along with the boundary crossers who support thedevelopment of the artefacts. In addition, it shows how an engagement withtransfer, transformation and expansive learning contributes to the professionaldevelopment of the subjects in their respective activity systems.