Toward an Argumentative Grammar for Socio-Cultural/Cultural-Historical Activity Approaches to Design Research

Abstract

This symposium will introduce and illustrate the Socio-cultural/CHAT family of approaches to Design Research. Design Research has become central to the Learning Sciences. It is a key strategy for the study of learning in settings outside the laboratory, and it embodies the twin goals building theoretical knowledge about learning and contributing to educational practice. The contributors to this symposium will argue, however, that Design Researchers need to be aware that they are designing artificial settings in which to study culturally constituted, not biologically-given, processes of learning. The `argumentative grammar' of socio-cultural/CHAT Design Research will be outlined.