As the project has developed it has become clear that to provide cohesion between the different smaller projects that are linked to our main research questions, we needed to define what we meant by learning. To do this, we have begun to explore Engeström’s (2001) expansive learning. Expansive learning occurs when two (or more) activity systems include the same object but view it from different perspectives. When the object is jointly reflected upon by participants from the different activity systems, then contradictions within the activity systems can become clearer allowing for a reassessment of individual or combinations of activity systems.

Thus in our project where we consider the activity system connected to mathematics teacher education and mathematics education in schools, we have boundary crossers in our preservice teachers, and boundary objects, such as modelling tasks or programming. As Akkerman and Bakker (2011) described in their literature review about boundary crossings and boundary objects, boundary research suggest four kinds of learning potential mechanisms: identification, coordination, reflection, and transformation. In responding to our overarching research questions for the project, we are using these ideas to explore how the results of the individual projects can provide an overview of how learning occurs.

References

Akkerman, S. F., & Bakker, A. (2011). Boundary crossing and boundary objects. Review of educational research, 81(2), 132-169.

Engeström, Y. (2001). Expansive learning at work: Toward an activity theoretical reconceptualization. Journal of education and work, 14(1), 133-156.