Exploring Cultural-Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) as a tool for investigating workers’

literacy and numeracy practices.

Keiko Yasukawa, Tony Brown, Stephen Black University of Technology, Sydney

Paper presented at the15th AVETRA Conference

The Value and Voice of VET Research forindividuals, industry, community and the nation

Rydges Capital Hotel, Canberra, April 2012

Centre for research in learning and change

Outline

Rationale for the Project*

Investigating the ‘Crisis’ seeking new voices Researching Literacy & Numeracy CHAT as an analytical tool Examining literacy & numeracy within an activity

system Conclusions

*Funding and support for this project was provided by the Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations through the National VET Research and Evaluation Program managed by the National Centre for

Vocational Education Research. The views and opinions expressed in this paper are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Australian Government, State and Territory governments or NCVER

The Project

Rationale for the Project - ‘Crisis’ discourse around skills & esp literacy and numeracy --> government & business, ALLS - but workers’ perspective?

Need for research approach to capture & understand other perspectives

CHAT as tool: used in workplace education & research; interest in expansive learning

Three sites: manufacturing firms (Hearing; Doors / Locks; Gaskets) at three different stages of becoming ‘lean’/competitive

Literacy & Numeracy approaches

Two main discourses

(a) Instrumental – measurement, diagnostic (b) Social practices – literacy and numeracy as historically,

culturally, politically contingent, inseparable from context

CHAT as a tool for analysis of social practices and researching literacy and numeracy

Activity System - elements

An activity system example - Modelling

Modelling as an activity

Checking Order Form ID Spatial awareness & visualisation Orientation in 3D Estimation Image manipulation Oral communication (a) in team (b) with clients

Modelling – checking the order number

Image of the Ear Canal

Modelling a shell - cutting across the length of the ear canal

Modelling the shell – positioning an electronic component

Modelling as an Activity System

Conclusions

CHAT enables us to see and describe workplace literacy and numeracy as:

o Both individual and collective effortso Embedded in the integrated whole of the work practiceso Multiple practices o Learnt or able to be learnt on the job

Implications for Literacy & Numeracy education for work.

The lean workplace – the team ‘board’

The ‘lean’ workplace – monitoring daily performance

The ‘lean’ workplace – monitoring performance against targets