Have you heard about CHAT theory?
Cultural-Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) is an evolved framework from Vygotsky’s original cultural-historical psychology, further developed by Leontiev and Engeström. It gives educators lens to analyse and understand children and families, focusing on the interaction between children and their socio-cultural context.
CHAT origins
Vygotsky introduced the idea of mediation, where human actions are mediated by cultural tools and signs (Engeström, 2007). They focused the role of cultural artifacts in shaping mental processes.
Soviet psychologist Leontiev expanded this framework to include collective activity, integrating community and division of labour, thus providing a more systemic approach to understanding activities (Engeström, 1987).
Engeström further developed the theory to address networks of interacting activity systems, highlighting the importance of resolving contradictions through expansive learning (Roth, 2007).
Key Concepts
An activity system includes components such as the subject (individual or group), object (goal), mediating artifacts (tools), rules, community, and division of labour. This system helps understand the dynamic and complex nature of human activities (Engeström, 1987).
Expansive Learning is the process involves identifying contradictions within the activity system and resolving them through collective learning and innovation. It is a cyclical process with stages like questioning, modelling, implementing, and consolidating new practices (Bligh & Flood, 2015; Engeström, 2016).
Contradictions are critical for driving change and development within an activity system. Types include dilemmas, conflicts, critical conflicts, and double binds, each requiring different resolutions (Engeström & Sannino, 2011).
What does it mean for you as an educator?
CHAT has been widely applied in educational research to understand how social interactions and cultural tools mediate learning. You can consider meal times or slee times and how you can tap into the family context. What tools, like verbal guidance can you use to support children, how can you value cultural tools families already are using with children.
Watch this video to learn more about CHAT –
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cr5JiWvhT2M
Introduction to Cultural-Historical Activity Theory (CHAT). This video provides a concise introduction to CHAT and its key concepts.