Exploring Students' Perceptions about Learning in School: An Activity Theory Based Study

Yelena Portnov-Neeman, Moshe Barak

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

In the current study, we used Activity Theory as the conceptual framework for exploring students’ perceptions about how learning in school is affected by the following five elements: Object, Tools, Rules, Community and Division of Labor. Data were collected by administrating a semi-structured questionnaire among 70 junior high school students and interviewing a sample of 25 participants. The findings showed that the students positively evaluated the Object and Division of Labor categories, but appreciated less the contribution of Tools, Rules and Community to learning. This indicts that current schooling offers only little a constructivist-learning environment in which students interact with Tools, Rules and Community, and take an active part in forming the learning environment, as derived from Activity Theory.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)9-25
Number of pages17
JournalJournal of education and learning
Volume2
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 2013

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