Activity System Analysis

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Activity System Analysis a practical approach
Medical Academic Education Unit School of Medicine

• John Sandars
• Senior Lecturer
• j.e.sandars_at_leeds.ac.uk

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• What is Activity System Analysis?
• How can it be used in e-learning research?
• How useful is this approach?

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Activity Theory

• Lev Vygotsky
• Activity is object orientated
• Action mediated through artifacts

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ARTIFACT          
 
 
SUBJECT
OBJECT

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Activity Theory
Alexei Leontiev Action within a wider
socio-cultural context
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Second Generation Activity System

• Yrjo Engestrom
• Dynamic equilibrium
• All components in balance

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Activity System Analysis

• Daisy Mwanza http//iet.open.ac.uk/pp/d.mwanz
  a/
• Step 1 Construct
• Step 2 Analyse
• Step 3 Interpretation
• Sandars J An activity theory perspective
  Work Based Learning in Primary Care (2005) 3
  (4) 191-201

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The eight step model to analyse nodes

• 1 Identify the activity of interest What sort
  of activity am I interested in?
• 2 Object of activity Why is this activity
  taking place? 
• 3 Subjects in this activity Who is involved in
  carrying out this activity?
• 4 Influence of artifacts on the activity By
  what means are subjects carrying out this
  activity?
•  
• 5 Rules mediating the activity? Are there any
  cultural norms, rules or regulations governing
  the performance of this activity?
• 6 Roles mediating the activity Who is
  responsible for what, when carrying out this
  activity and how are the roles organised? 
• 7 Community in which the activity is conducted
  What is the environment in which this activity is
  carried out?
•  8 Outcome What is the desired outcome from
  carrying out this activity?

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Using Activity System Analysis

• Three case studies - 2 Public health 1 GP
• Online discussion boards
• Semi-structured interviews on purposive sample
• Content analysis of comments in discussion boards
• Sandars J, Langlois M On-line learning networks
  for general practitioners evaluation of a pilot
  project Education for Primary Care (2005) 16
  (6) 688-696

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How useful?

• Structured approach practical tool
• Highlights importance of social informatics
• Identifies Socio-cultural / Organisational
  aspects

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Practical exercise

• Think of an activity system an e-learning
  initiative that worked well ..or not so well!
• Produce an activity system analysis
• What did you find?
• What can you learn by doing this?

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The eight step model to analyse nodes

• 1 Identify the activity of interest What sort
  of activity am I interested in?
• 2 Object of activity Why is this activity
  taking place? 
• 3 Subjects in this activity Who is involved in
  carrying out this activity?
• 4 Influence of artifacts on the activity By
  what means are subjects carrying out this
  activity?
•  
• 5 Rules mediating the activity? Are there any
  cultural norms, rules or regulations governing
  the performance of this activity?
• 6 Roles mediating the activity Who is
  responsible for what, when carrying out this
  activity and how are the roles organised? 
• 7 Community in which the activity is conducted
  What is the environment in which this activity is
  carried out?
•  8 Outcome What is the desired outcome from
  carrying out this activity?