University West uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. By continued use of the site, you agree to the use of cookies. Read more about cookies
Events
the release party of activity theory centre 13th of August 2021
A grand opening of the activity theory centre took place with our Vice Chancellor Martin Hellström to celebrate the opening of the centre.On link was Professor Yrjö Engström University of Helsinki, Finland and Professor Annalisa Sannino Tampere University, Finland.In the studio was Associate professor Kristina Johansson, Vice Chancellor Martin Hellström, Professor Lars Svensson and Professor Ulrika Lundh Snis.
Upcomming events 2023
1. CHAT SIG Thematic session at FERA
Learning and agency for equity and sustainability: Dialogue with activity theory
Global demands of equity, social justice and environmental sustainability urgently require that actors across sectors and levels learn to pursue concerted willful actions which can lead to effective and flexible solutions. Understanding how in these conditions learning and agency, based on multiple voices of various actors, emerge and how they can be sustained is a crucial educational challenge. These issues are at the core of current developments of cultural-historical activity theory globally and its emerging fourth generation. In this framework, the mentioned educational challenges are typically studied with the help of formative interventions such as the Change Laboratory.
The thematic group welcomes contributions of all levels – from preliminary to well developed – based on or engaging in dialogue with these theoretical and methodological premises. Contributions to the thematic group will be selected to individual sessions based on their specific focus in order to facilitate in-depth discussions between presenters as well as the audience during each session.
Submit your abstract (max 2000 characters) by end of September via:
https://link.webropolsurveys.com/S/747B2DF5A90084B5
2. Theory and practice in today’s society: A dialogue between three conceptual frameworks (Pre-conference seminar)
The notion of practice theory has become a source of vibrant discussions in educational sciences. This pre-seminar at the Finnish Educational Research Association proposes a dialogue between representatives of three conceptual frameworks often referred to as examples of practice theories: the community of practice theory, cultural-historical activity theory, and the theory of practice architectures. The seminar offers a collective reflection from these three perspectives on what is understood as theory and as practice, as well as what might be practical in theory and theoretical in practice.
The seminar opens with a Keynote by Professor Davide Nicolini from University of Warwick, author of the influential volume Practice Theory, Work and Organization (Oxford University Press, 2012) followed by a discussion with the audience. The seminar will then continue with a panel discussion involving Professor Ulf Blossing and Docent Lill Langelotz from University of Gothenburg and Professor Annalisa Sannino from Tampere University with commentaries by the keynote speaker, Professor Nick Hopwood from University of Technology Sydney and by Professor Mervi Kaukko from Tampere University. The seminar is chaired by University Lecturer, PhD Jaakko Hilppö from University of Helsinki.
The pre-seminar will take place online on the afternoon 22nd November (Finnish time, GMT+3) and is free-of-cost.Register for the seminar via: https://elomake.helsinki.fi/lomakkeet/124671/lomakkeet.html
3. Symposium: Finnish cultural-historical activity theory, current studies and future directions
This symposium will bring together five teams whose studies build on the research paradigm developed by the Finnish School of Cultural-Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) to present and discuss current developments and future directions of this scholarly tradition. The symposium’s main focus is on CHAT Change Laboratory formative interventions, their potential and challenges in fostering participatory analyses and design in response to acute societal needs. The Symposium as a whole will include five presentations, each followed by questions from the audience, and a commentary at the end.
In Symposium Part 1 Professors Emeriti Engeström and Virkkunen will present an analysis of the development of the Finnish School of Cultural-Historical Activity Theory based on eight threshold concepts across published studies between 1970-2022. This presentation will be followed by researcher Tapola-Haapala and co-authors who will share their analysis of expansive learning in Change Laboratories focusing on youth´s experiences of school meaningfulness. Professor Sannino will then follow with an analysis of the multiple roles researchers took in the preparation and realisation of a Change Laboratory carried out in a supported housing unit for vulnerable youth.
Symposium Part 2 will start with a presentation by Professor Kajamaa and co-authors will follow on their analysis of boundary crossing in three Change Laboratory cases in a teacher training school, in a hospital and in a university affiliated new business incubator. Then researchers Lund and Juujärvi will report on their findings from a study aimed at offering digital support via the Change Laboratory-inspired Community Workshops with multiple stakeholders.
The second symposium will end with Professor Toom’s commentary on the studies presented in both symposium parts.
For more on the symposium, see our thematic issue in Kasvatus (Finnish only, article summaries in English). FULL ISSUES: https://journal.fi/kasvatus/issue/view/9643. English summaries: https://journal.fi/kasvatus/article/view/131367.
All activities above are part of the annual FERA conference this year held in Vaasa, Finland between November 23-24, 2023. For more on the conference, see link below:
https://www.abo.fi/fi/kasvatustieteen-paivat-2023/
CHAT publicationseminar
8 September 14-15.30
11 October 14-15.30
MOOC
There are still a few days to register for the Tampere University MOOC on Key Concepts of Cultural-Historical Activity Theory (CHAT). The essential information and registration link are available on the course webpage:
Please notice that accepting registrations after Aug 15th and outside the link will not be possible.
The MOOC is an excellent opportunity to learn about CHAT for free. Credits can also be obtained for participants from different parts of the world. This MOOC continues discussions started during a reading seminar series that took place during the Academic Year 2022-2023. This MOOC, however, does not require prior knowledge of CHAT.
MOOC
A Tampere University MOOC is being prepared on Key Concepts of Cultural-Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) which will take place in the fall of 2023. The MOOC is free of charge and credits can also be obtained for participants from different parts of the world. The registration to the MOOC will be possible from August 1st to August 15th on the course webpage.
Please notice that it will not be possible to accept registrations before or after these dates and outside the link which will be provided on this webpage.
This MOOC continues discussions started during a reading seminar series that took place during the Academic Year 2022-2023. This MOOC, however, does not require prior knowledge of CHAT.
CHAT SIG
As part of the Finnish Educational Research Association's (FERA) annual meeting our CHAT SIG is hosting a no-cost, online preseminar on practice theory. The preseminar will take place on the afternoon 22nd November (Finnish time, GMT+3).
Please find a more detailed description of the preseminar and the registration link below.
On behalf of the FERA CHAT SIG
Annalisa Sannino & Jaakko Hilppö
***********************
Theory and practice in today’s society: A dialogue between three conceptual frameworks
The notion of practice theory has become a source of vibrant discussions in educational sciences. This pre-seminar at the Finnish Educational Research Association hosts a dialogue between representatives of three conceptual frameworks often referred to as examples of practice theories: the community of practice theory, cultural-historical activity theory, and the theory of practice architectures. The seminar offers a collective reflection from these three perspectives on what is understood as theory and as practice, as well as what might be practical in theory and theoretical in practice.
The seminar opens with a Keynote by Professor Davide Nicolini from University of Warwick, author of the influential volume Practice Theory, Work and Organization (Oxford University Press, 2012) followed by a discussion with the audience. The seminar will then continue with a panel discussion involving Professor Ulf Blossing and Docent Lill Langelotz from University of Gothenburg and Professor Annalisa Sannino from Tampere University with commentaries by the keynote speaker, Professor Nick Hopwood from University of Technology Sydney and by Professor Mervi Kaukko from Tampere University. The seminar is chaired by University Lecturer, PhD Jaakko Hilppö from University of Helsinki.
Register for the pre-seminar via this link:
https://elomake.helsinki.fi/lomakkeet/124671/lomakkeet.html
Program for the online reading seminars Academic year 2022/2023