Dialogical Relationship between Identity and Learning

Abstract

This paper highlights some connections between cultural psychology, educational psychology, and identity psychology. This aim is pursued through the constructivist view of conceptualized learning as building knowledge. It is contended that identities should explicitly be considered as part of this process. Useful approaches to explore the relationship between learning and identity are the Dialogical Self Theory (DST) and the Communities of Learning model (CoL), both of which demonstrate a shared interest in dialogue and constructivism. DST defines the self as being composed of a set of I-positions, which are constantly in dialogue and in movement. The CoL model conceptualizes the classroom as a set of cultural contexts where dialogues permit the analysis of context and also shape it. Empirical examples of how relevant concepts related to learning, such as motivation and sense-making, can be viewed as innovation of the self are discussed.

Competências do professor no uso das TDIC e de ambientes virtuais

“…Em primeiro plano, estão as 'relações humanas' e isso requer uma aproximação com o cotidiano dos estudantes para fazer emergir processos de identificação, identidade (Ligorio, 2010), posicionamentos discursivos (Brown & Renshaw, 2006), espaços de conversação (Mercer, 2000;Pontecorvo, Ajello, & Zucchermaglio, 2005). Se considerarmos o conceito de zona de desenvolvimento proximal (ZDP) proposto por Vigotski (2009),em que o sujeito necessita de um par mais competente para realizar uma atividade vamos perceber que as novas gerações são, em sua maioria, mais competentes no uso tecnológico e na navegação pelo ciberespaço do que seus próprios professores (Palfrey & Gasser, 2011;Serres, 2013).…”

Experiences in Sense Making: Health Science Students’I-Positioning in an Online Philosophy of Science Course

“…With this in mind, educators can be led to encourage students to use their personal life experiences and prior knowledge as resources for learning (Arvaja, 2012: Ligorio, 2010Oztok, 2013;Rajala & Sannino, forthcoming). It is true that teaching and learning in educational contexts usually focuses on academic content knowledge, and on socially shared (institutionalized) meanings (Oztok, 2013;Zittoun, 2011) -aspects that tend to be supported by institutionalized resources such as textbooks.…”

“…However, opportunities for personal sense-making through people's personal lives can help to connect different spheres of experiences, with possibilities for linking institutionalized and personal knowledge. Furthermore, life experiences, used as resources for learning, can be seen as promoting student identity work: they give personal meaning to learning activities, and at the same time provide possibilities for the renegotiation of one's I-Positions and "being, thinking and doing" (Akkerman et al, 2012;Gee, 2010;Ligorio, 2010;Oztok, 2013;Paakkari, Tynjälä, & Kannas, 2011). From this perspective, an educational process can help students to make sense of cultures and communities (with their respective practices), as well as themselves as active members of these communities (Gee, 2010;Ligorio, 2010;Matusov, 2011;Rajala et al, 2013).…”

“…Here it should be noted that the dialogical nature of learning is often related to external dialogue between individuals, with the exclusion of internal dialogue within individuals, i.e. between the IPositions of the self (Ligorio, 2010). As a consequence, most analyses -and most efforts to promote learning -have typically focused on face-to-face or online interaction and on the collaborative aspect of learning.…”

Egypt Education System: A Monocultural Education in a Multicultural Society

“…According to Sirin, Rogers-Sirin, and Collins (2010), the effort to increase and improve cultural awareness and expand culturally responsive pedagogy carries a sense of urgency. Egyptian teachers should use the method of "teaching through others", or -dialogical methods of instruction‖ to help transform schools into communities of learners who acquire knowledge while practicing global citizenship (Ligorio, 2010). Egyptian teachers should have the ability to interrupt and deconstruct prejudice and racism to establish and maintain meaningful relationships with children of diverse groups; they must make sure they do not let issues such as prejudice and/or racism gain access to their classrooms Pica-Smith (2009).…”