Vygotsky Podcast

(Initially posted December 2, 2020) Nikolai Veresov helps to distinguish cultural-historical activity theory (CHAT) and cultural-historical theory (CHT).  

Highlights include:

0:35 - What is CHAT? (Ant's confession)

1:58 - Nikolai's preference for clarification over comparison

3:39 - Veresov (2020): Two theories with many strengths

5:51 - Nikolai's appreciation and respect for CHAT

7:27 - Nikolai's concerns about CHAT

8:36 - Historical background of CHT, Activity Theory, and CHAT

15:24 - Why is this important?

19:17 - Is Nikolai alone here?

23:18 - Three coexisting theories

25:55 - Specific features of CHT and of CHAT

32:20 - Is CHAT more about systems while CHT is about individuals?

34:45 - Personality, transformation, and metamorphosis (CHAT and CHT)

38:31 - Is there a metamorphosis dynamic in CHAT?

40:44 - The concept of contradiction in CHT and in CHAT

43:41 - An example of dialectical unity (life and birth and death)

48:52 - Vygotskian application of dialectical unity (not subject-object but individual-social)

54:12 - Example: development of HPF or cultural forms of behavior?

59:36 - Mediation in CHAT and in CHT

1:04:11 - Can tools ever have more agency than individuals?

1:09:50 - Should perezhivanie make an appearance in CHAT?

1:16:49 - Is CHAT concerned with cultural or social *development*?

1:19:28 - Where is Vygotsky in CHAT?

1:21:32 - Can developmental CHT principles map onto CHAT-esque domains?

1:25:13 - Nikolai's objection  Veresov (2020)

"Identity as a sociocultural phenomenon: the dialectics of belonging, being and becoming" is here: http://tiny.cc/pty5tz

(Initially posted November 1, 2020) Important questions. Interesting answers. Excerpts from Andy Blunden,  Huw Lloyd, Peter Smagorinsky, David Kellogg, and Nikolai Veresov provide a great start to a rich conversation...  

Sources for all clips are available here: http://tiny.cc/led1tz

(Originally posted Dec 22, 2021) Holbrook Mahn illustrates some question prompts and the thinking behind them.

These ideas come from his "Academic Literacy for All (ALA) Protocol."

The full chat is here: http://tiny.cc/q5umuz 

(Initially posted April 21, 2021) Nikolai Veresov discusses the under-reported "most important difference" between Piaget and Vygotsky, who had much in common, including a  general approach to solving the "crisis in psychology."

Excerpted from a  private conversation (and used with permission).  

(Originally posted Aug 12, 2020) This brief clip raises a number of questions, including:

where are 'the buds'? - what are the qualitative reorganizations here?  why are the buds (e.g., of volition) not yet present for the 3 year-olds, present for the 5 year-olds, and already flowered for the 8 year-olds?  (ages are approximate, I know)  how temporary is the 5 year-olds' improved volition? does it wear off?  is it now 'activated' for good? - for the 8 year-olds, is volition developed for tasks such as standing still but still in 'bud' stage for more demanding acts of will?

Original source: "Mike Cole on ZOPED" http://tiny.cc/jtivpz

More here: "Vygotsky and Context: Toward a Resolution of Theoretical Disputes" http://tiny.cc/yv6upz

(This short excerpt was published on May 28, 2020 at http://tiny.cc/vr3nsz)

(Originally posted Sept 25, 2021) Nikolai Veresov, with contributions from David Kellogg, demonstrates how Vygotsky's cultural-historical theory is built as a system of concepts.  To best understand (and use) one concept, it's important to understand its place and role in the theory, along with its relationships to other concepts and important ideas.

1:33 - ZPD 2:27 - ZPD + motivation

3:55 - ZPD + motivation + drama & emotion

5:16 - ZPD + motivation + drama & emotion + whole person

6:22 - ZPD + motivation + drama & emotion + whole person + perezhivanie

10:13 - ZPD + motivation + drama & emotion + whole person + perezhivanie + development

11:38 - ZPD + motivation + drama & emotion + whole person + perezhivanie + development + General Genetic Law

12:26 - ZPD + motivation + drama & emotion + whole person + perezhivanie + development + GGL + spontaneous & scientific concepts

13:02 - ZPD + motivation + drama & emotion + whole person + perezhivanie + development + GGL + spontaneous & scientific concepts + hidden dimensions

16:26 - ZPD + motivation + drama & emotion + whole person + perezhivanie + development + GGL + spontaneous & scientific concepts + hidden dimensions + signs & tools

18:41 - ZPD + motivation + drama & emotion + whole person + perezhivanie + development + GGL + spontaneous & scientific concepts + hidden dimensions + signs & tools + metacognition

23:55 - ZPD + motivation + drama & emotion + whole person + perezhivanie + development + GGL + spontaneous & scientific concepts + hidden dimensions + signs & tools + metacognition + refraction

26:59 - ZPD + motivation + drama & emotion + whole person + perezhivanie + development + GGL + spontaneous & scientific concepts + hidden dimensions + signs & tools + metacognition + refraction + social situation of development

28:19 - Cultural-historical theory as a system of concepts

Original source: http://tiny.cc/dvjjuz  "Asia-Pacific Sociocultural, Cultural-historical & Activity Theory Summer School, January 2021"

(Initially posted May 27, 2021) While there are many pathways into Vygotsky's work, this approach, so far, has been the most sensible for a slow learner like me -- even if it's misguided and even if I'm still years away from synthesizing a lasting and holistic understanding.  

Full chat: http://tiny.cc/16xxtz

Highly relatable:  "People develop concepts in what Vygotsky calls a 'twisting path' that does not proceed in a neat, linear fashion. Rather, one's route toward  the development of a concept becomes detoured, rerouted, and otherwise thrown off course as new examples are considered for inclusion within the concept, and as one generates sufficiently extensive related knowledge to make consistent judgments." Smagorinsky (2012) Vygotsky and Literacy Research: A Methodological Framework

(Originally posted April 21, 2021) Nikolai Veresov explains how Vygotsky's cultural-historical theory was built as a system of concepts.  Veresov then demonstrates how a CHT  concept can be analyzed and applied as a theoretical tool.

0:03 - Analysis vs. Interpretation (and why the difference matters)

1:14 - Two questions for understanding the content of CHT concepts

2:19 - The importance of these two questions

3:21 - EXAMPLE: the interaction between ideal and present forms  (Question 1)

5:17 - EXAMPLE: the interaction between ideal and present forms  (Question 2)

*Excerpted from a private conversation (used with permission).  Initially published April 21, 2021.

(Initially posted December 3, 2020) Nikolai Veresov discusses specific features of cultural-historical  theory (CHT), cultural-historical activity theory (CHAT), and also  activity theory (AT).   

Full video: http://tiny.cc/s316tz

(First posted May 21, 2021) David Kellogg notes the benefits and limitations of conceptualizing neoformations as thread and as pattern.  

Full chat: http://tiny.cc/16xxtz