The first Helsinki Summer School course on the Activity Theory and Formative Interventions took place in Helsinki in August 2010 with participants coming from eight countries. The course is based on the 20-year tradition of research and teaching conducted in the Center for Research on Activity, Development and Learning (CRADLE) at the Institute of Behavioural Sciences, the University of Helsinki.
The course is designed to introduce cultural-historical activity theory - rooted in the legacy of Vygotsky and Leont'ev - as it has been developed and applied to learning and development in educational and work practices in Finland and other countries.
ATFI provides interdisciplinary theoretical and methodological tools for studying the rapid and profound changes in the world of work, organisations, and technology. It is structured around the following content areas.
- History and future of activity theory
- Work-related learning
- Methodology and practice of developmental work research interventions
The ATFI course welcomes 30 BA and MA students aiming at careers in advanced human resource development, in workplace learning, and, more generally, in organisational development and change management.The course consists of lectures, workshops and discussions with leading Finnish and international scholars in the field of activity theory, including the most influential Finnish activity theorist Yrjo Engestrom.The key lectures are organised as videoconference-mediated conversations with scholars representing approaches closely related to activity theory, such as Frank Blackler, Michael Cole, and Roger Saljo.
The excursions to work organisations and research facilities allow students to learn from ongoing developmental work research interventions conducted by researchers and practitioners in Helsinki. The tutored small group tasks are designed to guide students to get acquainted with core literature and to formulate their interests for engaging with more demanding texts and studies in the future.
AFTI is coordinated by Ms Anu Kajamaa (M.A.Educ.) who is a PhD candidate in the doctoral program on Developmental Work Research and Adult Education (DWEAE) and the Project Manager at the Center for Research on Activity, Development and Learning (CRADLE) at the University of Helsinki.Her doctoral dissertation is an activity-theoretical study of management and evaluation of organizational change efforts within formative interventions. Ms Anu Kajamaa has conducted extensive collaborative research and intervention projects in the Finnish health care system and produced several refereed publications in national and international journals.
Period
04-08-2011 - 25-08-2011 (3 weeks)
Target group
This course is designed for BA and MA students aiming at careers in advanced human resource development, in workplace learning, and, more generally, in organisational development and change management.
Course aim
ATFI provides interdisciplinary theoretical and methodological tools for studying the rapid and profound changes in the world of work, organisations, and technology. It is structured around the following content areas.
Credits
6.0 ECTS credits
Course fee
EUR 545: Registration fee 100 EUR/150 EUR (until 31 May / after 31 May)
Course fee: 395 EUR
Accommodation 430-770 EUR
Course leader
Ms Anu Kajamaa
Helsinki Summer School is supported by a consortium of nine universities in the Helsinki region.
Address: P.O. Box 3 University of Helsinki
Postal code: FI-00014
City: Helsinki
Country: Finland
Website: http://www.helsinkisummerschool.fi/home/index
E-mail: summer-school@helsinki.fi
Phone: +358 (0)9 191 24766
Activity Theory and Formative Interventions
