Web Links on Activity Theory
ActAD: activity analysis and development
"Activity Analysis and Development is a framework for studying and developing work activities, particularly in relation to information systems development. It is based on Developmental Work Research, which in turn is an application of Activity Theory on work development." A page of links.
activités: revue électronique
Electronic journal with papers mainly in French - there's an occasional paper in both French and English. "@ctivités is an electronic journal that aims at publishing studies and research focused on human goal-oriented activities in work and everyday life settings. @CTIVITES seeks to foster and promote discussion, the sharing and dissemination of theoretical, practical and social aspects of human activities, in the context of academic research and intervention."
activity-based computing: a new paradigm for ubiquitous computing
"This website is the home of the Activity-Based Computing Project (ABC) at the Centre for Pervasive Healthcare at the University of Aarhus. We, and others, are using the term activity-based computing to denote a new paradigm for computing, which is more suited for ubiquitous and pervasive computing. Activity-based computing has emerged as a response to the traditional application- and file-centered computing paradigm, which is oblivious to a notion of a user task spanning heterogeneous devices, multiple applications, services, and information sources."
activity theory
A set of links (regularly checked) from Martin Ryder at the University of Colorado, Denver.
activity theory: basic concepts and applications
A brief introduction to the topic, intended as a Workshop handout, from Victor Kaptelinin and Bonnie Nardi
activity theory: from wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Useful background article - strong on the history and principles, weak on applications.
activity theory usability lab, university of wollongong, australia
center for activity theory and developmental work research
"...is a research unit at the University of Helsinki in Finland. We conduct research in work, technology and organizations going through transformations." A very useful site, with links to a considerable number of papers produced by members of the centre, and to related organizations (most of which are given in this list). Also has four introductory papers. Probe deeper into the site and you'll find many more publications - check out each staff member, for example.
centre for sociocultural and activity theory research
"This is a Centre established in 2000 with the express intention of developing the research field through a multidisciplinary forum. We wish to contribute to and benefit from the community of practitioners and researchers working within the area.
Current interests of the Centre include: the design, development and evaluation of socio technical systems and learning environments; professional practice and expertise; pedagogic practice in informal and formal settings in education and work environments; the development of theoretical resources within the field."
clay spinuzzi's weblog: search results on "activity theory"
Clay Spinuzzi works in genre theory, but has married it to activity theory. His Weblog contains some interesting insights.
computer supported collaborative work
A special issue of the journal on "activity theory and the practice of design."
engeström's "learning by expanding"
a web version of his 1987 book, with alternative microsoft word files.
the fifth dimension
"The Fifth Dimension - abbreviated 5D - is an idea about how to create environments for meaningful learning. A major source of inspiration for the model is the Russian developmental psychologist Lev Vygotsky, one of the forefathers of the socio-cultural and cultural-historical theoretical traditions."
google searches
- computer mediated learning/online learning/networked learning and activity theory
- computer supported cooperative work/cscw and activity theory
- human computer interaction and activity theory
- information science and activity theory
- information systems development and activity theory
google book searches
google scholar searches
- computer mediated learning/online learning/networked learning AND activity theory
- computer supported cooperative work/cscw and activity theory
- human computer interaction and activity theory
- information science and activity theory
- information systems development and activity theory
international cultural-historical human sciences
A site, predominantly in German, devoted to the collection and presentation of documents relating to the development of cultural-historical approaches to the human sciences.
international society for cultural and activity research (iscar)
"ISCAR is an association, whose purpose is the promotion and development of multidisciplinary theoretical and empirical research on societal, cultural and historical dimensions of human practices." This is simply a society site, with little in the way of substantive content. There are links to journals and books, but none of these is open access.
links to documents on activity theory in 'social tagging' services
marxists internet archive
A rich, multilingual source of documents that includes pages on Vygotsky, Luria and Leont'ev
vtt technical research centre of finland
Includes a research group on 'Systems usability and activity-centred design' led by Leena Norros, whose book 'Acting under uncertainty' (2004) is available on the site.
the vygotsky project
A rich source of links to material on Vygotsky - surprisingly, and happily, all of the links were live when checked (April 2006)
bing searches
- computer mediated learning/online learning/networked learning and activity theory
- computer supported cooperative work/cscw and activity theory
- human computer interaction and activity theory
- information science and activity theory
- information systems development and activity theory
xmca research paper archive
A relatively small archive of papers, includes a video presentation by Yrjo Engeström
| Links checked 16th September, 2009 | Web Counter |
Maintained by Prof. T.D. Wilson |