Vygotsky on imagination: Why an understanding of the imagination is an important issue for schoolteachers

Gajdamaschko, Natalia

doi:10.1080/1047621052000341581

Cited by 43 publications

(28 citation statements)

References 4 publications

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“…Although Vygotsky has attracted considerable attention for his ideas about the importance of cultural mediation in the constitution of higher psychological processes, his work on imagination has only recently become widely available in translation, and so far been its influence has been restricted (see Gajdamaschko 2005;Moran and JohnSteiner 2003;Nilsson 2010;Smolucha 1992;Connery et al 2010). Vygotksy is worth our attention, however, because he offers a nuanced reading imagination-as-a-process through which the world is made and, at the same time, through which the self emerges to experience that world.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

“Minding the Gap”: Imagination, Creativity and Human Cognition

Pelaprat

Cole

2011

Integr. psych. behav.

108

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Inquiry into the nature of mental images is a major topic in psychology where research is focused on the psychological faculties of imagination and creativity. In this paper, we draw on the work of L.S. Vygotsky to develop a cultural-historical approach to the study of imagination as central to human cognitive processes. We characterize imagination as a process of image making that resolves "gaps" arising from biological and cultural-historical constraints, and that enables ongoing time-space coordination necessary for thought and action. After presenting some basic theoretical considerations, we offer a series of examples to illustrate for the reader the diversity of processes of imagination as image making. Applying our arguments to contemporary digital media, we argue that a cultural-historical approach to image formation is important for understanding how imagination and creativity are distinct, yet inter-penetrating processes.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

“Minding the Gap”: Imagination, Creativity and Human Cognition

Pelaprat

Cole

2011

Integr. psych. behav.

108

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“…Piaget asserted that to understand is to invent while Vygotsky contended that imagination interacts with cultural tools and symbol systems to produce learning (Eckhoff & Urbach, 2008;Gajdamaschko, 2005). Although the areas of disagreement between Piaget and Vygotsky are more often the focus of discussion, on this they agree: imagination and cognition are inseparable.…”

Section: Mary Renck Jalongomentioning

confidence: 91%

Making Meaning

2009

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“…Vygotsky considered the development of imagination as necessary for the technical and scientific creativity of children as it is for arts. The arts and sciences both demand the need for the cultivation of imagination in our school curriculum (Gajdamaschko, 2005). Vygotsky proposed the development of imagination through the mechanism of the acquisition of cultural tools in the curriculum that could become the content of the children's imaginative activities.…”

Section: Storytelling and The Understanding Of Science Conceptsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Storytelling as a Strategy for Understanding Concepts of Electricity and Electromagnetism

2010

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In our research, we investigated whether students will develop inquiry skills, such as hypothesis exploration and formulation and interpretation, and metacognitive skills, such as comprehension of new knowledge, as a result of a storytelling strategy employed during teaching. We also investigated whether students will utilize the skills and knowledge acquired in the learning process to explain everyday-life phenomena or applications of science. In order to achieve the above objectives, we carried out a bibliographical research, in which we established the certainty that modern thought is integrated in dialogical and narrative forms and that the conceptual approach, which places emphasis on the purely cognitive dimension of the process of knowledge and ignores inspiration or imagination, is ineffective. These conclusions necessitated our turning to other approaches for teaching and learning. We chose storytelling on account of its ability to cultivate the imagination and inspiration and to make science learning attractive to students. To confirm our findings, we conducted research on the effectiveness of storytelling in teaching science in five sixth-grade, primary-school classes. The findings of this research are described in our paper and seem to be encouraging.

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Vygotsky on imagination: Why an understanding of the imagination is an important issue for schoolteachers

Cited by 43 publications

References 4 publications

“Minding the Gap”: Imagination, Creativity and Human Cognition

“Minding the Gap”: Imagination, Creativity and Human Cognition

Making Meaning

Storytelling as a Strategy for Understanding Concepts of Electricity and Electromagnetism

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