AARE seminar - Impact of Cultural-Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) on STEM

I learned a lot from attending the Australian Association of Research in Education (AARE) seminar titled "Impact of Cultural-Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) on STEM (Science, technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Research and Education Practice from Early to Primary years" 

Here is the description: 

STEM education research has received enormous attention all over the world because the 21st century requires STEM-skilled humans. CHAT emphasises that children’s learning and development process, from lower form to higher mental functions, requires valued social or cultural experiences (Vygotsky, 1997). While STEM education has been researched in many ways, CHAT offers a unique/ valuable theoretical perspective because it helps to understand children’s conceptual (STEM) learning and development as a dynamic process (Vygotsky, 1987) where conceptual learning occurs in everyday contexts. To provide participants with insight into the value of using CHAT in STEM education research, this seminar (finishing with a Q&A), will provide: a background on CHAT examples of how this theory can be used when researching STEM education. The seminar combines presentations from a research expert and two PhD students to offer diverse perspectives on using CHAT in STEM education research. 

• Presentation 1: Laureate Professor Marilyn Fleer, Monash University, Australia Rising to the concrete: Concept development of children from infancy to end of primary school in Conceptual PlayWorlds (Laureate Professor Marilyn Fleer) 

 

 

• Presentation 2: Ms Jenny Dwyer, Charles Sturt University, Australia How can children’s mathematical graphics provide a steppingstone for children’s development of everyday and scientific (mathematical) concepts? (Ms Jenny Dwyer, PhD Candidate) 

• Presentation 3: Ms Winnie Chen, University of Canterbury, New Zealand Exploring the potential use of cultural-historical activity theory to unpack early childhood teachers pedagogical practices regarding children’s digital play. (Ms Winnie Chen, PhD Candidate) 
• Moderators: Dr Shukla Sikder, Senior Lecturer, Charles Sturt University, Australia and Dr John Cripps Clark, Senior Lecturer, Deakin University, Australia 
  

2022 ARC Laureate Fellows

Congratulations to all of the 2022 ARC Laureate Fellows announced today, and in particular: 

• Professor Karen Thorpe https://www.arc.gov.au/funding-research/funding-schemes/discovery-program/australian-laureate-fellowships/2022-laureate-profile-professor-karen-thorpe

FL220100137 – 10,000 Hours: Time in early education and care for better life opportunity Early childhood care and education programs underpin Australia's economic productivity. They enable parent workforce participation. They also present the potential to promote the learning and development of the children who attend. Realising this potential is dependent on the effectiveness of the experiences provided. Children spend up to 10,000 hours in care and education programs. These hours matter. They occur at a critical point in human development in which social, emotional and learning experiences set the neural foundations for lifetime wellbeing and achievement. Understanding the ways in which programs can more effectively contribute to positive life course development benefits Australian families, society and economy. This study applies complex analyses of unique, contemporary datasets and a longitudinal study with linkage to ongoing school records to identify strategies that promote child learning and redress current social inequities. It plans to advance theory, provide multidisciplinary research training and offer new directions for realising the promise of Australia's early learning programs. Australian Research Council funding: $3,320,000

•  Professor Anne Castles https://www.arc.gov.au/funding-research/funding-schemes/discovery-program/australian-laureate-fellowships/2022-laureate-profile-professor-anne-castles

FL220100061 – Literacy in adolescence: The next major challenge in the science of reading Becoming proficient in reading and writing transforms children's lives. It opens vast new opportunities for them to acquire knowledge and communicate and maximises their potential to become productive members of society. For this reason, it is of major national concern that Australian literacy rates have been steadily falling over the past two decades, with as many as 40% of 15-year-olds failing to meet international minimum standards (PISA, 2018). Professor Castles seeks to identify ways to improve literacy outcomes in Australian secondary school students by conducting a comprehensive, theoretically-informed investigation of literacy in this cohort – focussing particularly on disadvantaged and non-English speaking students - and situating the research within the broader socio-emotional context of adolescence. Project outcomes will inform state and national policy in secondary school teaching, and guide practice and intervention. In doing so, the project will contribute to the national effort to reduce the social and economic cost of low literacy, with the ultimate beneficiaries being Australia's children. Australian Research Council funding: $3,147,256

Congratulations ARC Laureate Professor Marilyn Fleer

 Congratulations ARC Laureate Professor Marilyn Fleer on your groundbreaking work inspiring young children and early childhood educators: https://www.facebook.com/EducationMonash/videos/2342211002710426/