Activity Theory & Engeström
Dr Daisy Mwanza-Simwami
Institute of Educational Technology
The Open University
2nd February, 2012
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Contents
 What is Activity Theory
 Basic Principles of Activity Theory – Kaptelinin
 Origins of Activity Theory
 Vygotsky – Basic Model of human activity
 Leont’ev – The Concept of Activity
Hierarchical Model of human activity
 Engeström – Expanded Model of human activity
 The Activity Triangle System – Engeström
 Etc
 References
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What is Activity Theory?
“Activity Theory (AT) is philosophical and cross-disciplinary
framework for studying different forms of human
practices as developmental processes, with both
individual and social levels interlinked at the same time
(Kuutti in Nardi 1996, page 25).”
Explanation
• AT is a framework from which several theories and
methods cab be developed
• The basic unit of analysis is human activity
• Human activity continuously develop and redevelop over
a period of time
• Human activity is developed and transformed as a result
of influences from the context in which it is carried out
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Origins of Activity Theory
 AT ideas are grounded in Vygotsky’s theorising about:
 the social-cultural development of human mind
(developmental studies of higher mental functioning)
(see Vygotsky, 1978; Leont’ev, 1978 & 1981)
Vygotsky's
believed that child development and the
development of all human beings happens as a result of
interactions between people and their social environment
Vygotsky (1978) also conceptualised the concept of
tool mediation
Vygotsky argued that human beings’ interactions with objects
of their environment are not direct but mediated through the
use of tools and signs
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Basic Model of Human Activity - Vygotsky
 Vygotsky’s model of human activity (Vygotsky,
1930/1981; 1978; 1981)
Mediator
(Tool)
Subject
Object
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Basic Principles of Activity Theory - Kaptelinin
 Kaptelinin (in Nardi, 1996.pp.107-110;
Unity of consciousness and activity
Object-orientation
Tool mediation
Internalisation and Externalisation
The principle of Historical Development
Context
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The Concept of Activity Theory- Leont’ev
 Cultural Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) or
Activity Theory (AT) was conceptualised by A.N.
Leont’ev, (see Leont’ev, 1978 & 1981) – a student
of Vygotsky
 Leont’ev’s distinguishes between
activity and ‘individual’ activity
‘collective’
 According to Leont’ev, human activity is a
dynamic and self-regulating system that has a
structure (see the hierarchical levels of activity
in Leont’ev, 1978)
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Hierarchical Model of Human Activity – Leont’ev
 Leont’ev’s model of human activity showing the three
levels of operation, namely: Activity, Action level, &
Operations level
Activity
Motives
Actions
Goals
Operations
Conditions
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The Concept of Activity Theory
 Leont’ev’s model of human activity, isolates a single
individual’s activity from the collective activity system
and introduces a structure to represent human activity.
 He argued that human activity is motivated towards e
the fulfilment of objectives that are achieved by
engaging in practical activities mediated through both
physical and mental actions directed towards the
achievement of conscious goals. Meanwhile, actions
are satisfied through specific operations, that are
controlled by conditions of execution.
 Leont’ev’s
model
helps
to
understand
interrelatedness of activities at various levels
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the
The Activity Theory and Engeström
 Conceptualised the Theory of Expansive Learning
 Inspired by the works of both Vygotsky and
Leont’ev, Engeström (1987) developed the
expanded model of human activity to include the:
subjects, rules & regulations, community, division of
labour & outcome while developing his theory of
Expansive Learning
 Model portrays the collaborative and collective
nature of human activity
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Expanded model of human activity
 Activity Triangle System (Engeström, 1987)
Tools
Transformation
Subjects
Object
Outcomes
Process
Rules
Community
Division of Labour
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The Activity Triangle System - Engeström

Human activities are social and cultural practices whose
development and transformations are influenced by the:
 Context or environment in which activity is carried out
 Subjects or relationship of those involved in activity
 Tools or artefacts that mediate human activity
 Rules and Regulations that exist in the environment in
which activity is carried out
 Roles or Division of labour - variations in responsibilities
of those carrying out the various tasks that constitute
activities carried out
 Motives or Objectives of those involved in carrying out
activities (i.e. what they want to achieve)
Transforming the object into an outcome motivates
the existence of an activity
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Activity theory – Key points
 Focus on understanding:
 Motives of those involved in activity
 Relationships that exist amongst those involved
in activity
 The historical development of activity
 Implicit and explicit social practices of the context
in which activity is carried out
 Issues surrounding the development and use of
tools to support activity
 Identify contradictions that exist in activity
 The operational structure of an activity
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Working with Activity Theory in Teaching
 Can be used to enrich existing practices e.g. AT
driven assessment techniques will be more focused
on analysing methods used in problem solving than
determining the accuracy of results or final marks
 AT concept of historical development can be used
to
influence how we interpret the systematic
advancement observed in learning achievement
 AT notion of contradictions can be used to identify
problems that emerge in learning activity (see
Engeström in his Theory of Expansive Learning)
Engeström - Learning what is not yet known
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Working with Activity Theory in Research
 You can work with a single basic principle of AT or
use all of them
 AT can be used to enrich existing research
techniques
such
as:
thematic
analysis,
questionnaires, interviews, observations, etc
 AT can be used to investigate the change is
practices
 AT can be used to investigate the problems or
contradictions in activity
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Activity Theory - Disadvantages
 Need to understand the theory
 Long timeframe of research
 Lack of universal methods
 Difficult to make future predictions in activity
transitions when using AT due to emphasis on
understanding the historical development of human
activity
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Activity Theory - Example applications
 Interventionist research methods – Engeström's
Research Centre, University of Helsinki, Finland
 Activity Checklist –MacCaulay,et al., 1998 & in
Kaptelinin, et al., 2006
 AODM – Mwanza, 2002 & 2011
Used to investigate E-Learning in a USA high
school – Greenhow et al., 2009 in iJCSCL
AODM used to investigate mobile learning in
informal settings – Mwanza-Simwami, 2010 – Book
Chapter in Vavoula, G., et al., 2010)
Used to investigate learning in Social Networking
(Hill & Mwanza-Simwami, 2012 upcoming)
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Activity Theory Research Methods
 Activity-Oriented Design Method (AODM, Mwanza,
2011)
New
book
publication
available
at
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Activity-Oriented-DesignMethod-AODMresearch/dp/3847309226/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid
=1327507576&sr=8-1
 Works with all type of research methods e.g.
qualitative and quantitative
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References

Engeström, Y., (1987). “Learning by Expanding: An ActivityTheoretical Approach to Developmental Research.” Helsinki:
Orienta-Konsultit Oy, Finland.

Greenhow C, & Belbas B. (2007), Using activity-oriented design
methods to study collaborative knowledge-building in e-learning
courses within higher education. International Journal of ComputerSupported Collaborative Learning (2) 363-391.

Kaptelinin, V., (1996). “Activity Theory: Implications for HumanComputer Interaction.”
In Nardi, B.A., (1996) Context and
Consciousness: Activity Theory and Human-Computer Interaction,
MIT, Massachusetts, USA.

Kaptelinin, V., & Nardi, B. (2006). Acting with Technology: Activity
Theory and Interaction Design. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press
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References

Leont’ev, A.N, (1978). “Activity, Consciousness, and Personality.”
Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

Leont’ev, A.N, (1981), “The Problem of Activity in Psychology.” In
Wertsch, J.V., (1981)(Ed), The Concept of Activity in Soviet
Psychology: An Introduction. M.E. Sharpe, Inc New York, USA.

Mwanza, D., (2011) “Towards an Activity-Oriented Design Method
(AODM) for HCI Research and Practice”. LAP LAMBERT Academic
Publishing GmbH & Co. KG, Germany, ISBN: 978-3-8473-0922-2

Mwanza-Simwami, D., (2009), Using activity-oriented design
methods (AODM) to investigate mobile learning. In Vavoula, G;
Pachler, N, and, Kukulska-Hulme, A (eds). Researching Mobile
Learning: Frameworks, tools and research design. Oxford: UK:
Peter Lang Verlag, pp. 97 – 122.

Nardi, B.A., (1996) Context and Consciousness: Activity Theory and
Human-Computer Interaction, MIT, Massachusetts, USA.
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References
 Vygotsky, L.S, (1978). “Mind in Society - The
Development of Higher Psychological Processes.” In
Michael Cole, Vera John-Steiner, Sylvia Scribner, and
Ellen Souberman (Eds), Harvard University Press,
Massachusetts, USA.
 Vygotsky, LS, (1930/1981). “The development of higher
psychological functions (in Russia).” In J.V. Wertsch
(Ed.) Soviet Activity Theory. M.E. Sharpe, Inc New York,
USA.
 Vygotsky, L.S, (1981). “The genesis of higher mental
functions.” In J.V. Wertsch (Ed.). The Concept of Activity
in Soviet Psychology: An Introduction. M.E. Sharpe, Inc
New York, USA.
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