EPN-V2

PHUV9350 Cultural-Historical Activity Theory – CHAT Course description

Course name in Norwegian
Kulturhistorisk aktivitetsteori
Study programme
PhD Programme in Educational Sciences for Teacher Education
Weight
5.0 ECTS
Year of study
2024/2025
Course history

Introduction

Approved by the Doctoral Committee 24 May 2018. Minor changes approved 27.04.2020.

This PhD-course is open for candidates at the PhD Program in Educational Sciences for Teacher Education, other PhD candidates and academic employees.

Language: English (and Norwegian, dependent on the language of participants).

This course introduces Cultural-Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) as an epistemological and methodological framework for conducting action research in social, work-based and/or educational settings. Action research is broadly defined as research and development work in which researchers and practitioners jointly investigate work activities and analyze empirical data in order to design a new or improved model of the activity.

Learning outcomes

On completion of the course, the candidate will have achieved the following learning outcomes:

Knowledge

The candidate:

  • has knowledge of historical and contemporary perspectives on Activity Theory, related to philosophy of science and theories of knowledge
  • has knowledge of key questions related to research and ethics in activity theoretical action research

Skills

The candidate:

  • can explain key concepts of Activity Theory
  • can analyze relationships between theories of knowledge and Activity Theory
  • can discuss epistemological, methodological, and ethical problems in activity theoretical action research
  • can give academically competent oral presentations of action research projects guided by Activity Theory

General competence

The candidate:

  • can use Activity Theory as a theoretical framework for action research

Teaching and learning methods

Organized tuition is given in the form of digital lectures and seminars. Candidates are expected to actively participate in all the teaching activities.

Course requirements

Students are expected to read the syllabus before the course to be able to participate actively in discussions.

Assessment

The candidate prepares a fifteen minutes oral presentation of aspects of Activity theoretical action research that the candidate finds particularly interesting and relevant. The presentation can be in Norwegian, Swedish, Danish or English. Following the presentation there will be a 10 minutes sequence in which the candidate responds to questions from the examiners.

New and postponed examination

In case of failed exam/legal absence, the student can have a new exam under the same conditions when a new/postponed exam is arranged.

Regulations

Regulations for new or postponed examinations are available in Regulations relating to studies and examinations at OsloMet. Students must register for a new or postponed examination. More detailed information about registration and times for new or postponed examinations is available on the web site.

Grading scale

Dette emnet inngår som en del av årsstudiet/første år av bachelorstudiet i utviklingsstudier.

Emnet gir generell kunnskap om de tre regionene Afrika sør for Sahara, Asia inkludert Midtøsten og Latin-Amerika, samt om globalhistorie. I tillegg omfatter emnet nødvendige forkunnskaper og forberedelser for feltarbeidet som gjennomføres i påfølgende semester.

Examiners

Ingen.

Admission requirements

Etter fullført emne har studenten følgende læringsutbytte definert som kunnskap, ferdigheter og generell kompetanse:

Kunnskap

Studenten

  • har grunnleggende kunnskap om dagens politiske, økonomiske og sosiale forhold i hver av de tre regionene;
  • har grunnleggende kunnskap om globalhistorie med vekt på økonomisk utvikling i de tre regionene og Europa;
  • har kunnskaper om dagens situasjon og levemåter og tidligere perioder i historien til ett land i Afrika og ett i Asia.

Ferdigheter

Studenten har tilegnet seg grunnleggende ferdigheter i hvordan hun/han kan orientere seg om et utviklingsfaglig tema i et land i en av de tre fokuserte regionene ved å:

  • kombinere kunnskap om saken på alle nivåer fra det lokale til det globale;
  • undersøke relevante historiske forhold.

Generell kompetanse

Studenten

  • har etablert en basis av globale, regionale og landbaserte kunnskaper som danner en del av grunnlaget for å gjennomføre det gruppebaserte feltarbeidet i emne UTVB1400 (Feltarbeid i Utviklingsstudier).
  • har tilegnet seg grunnleggende kunnskap om sammensatte årsaker til forskjeller på økonomisk utvikling og velstand i ulike regioner og land.