I used a framework by Daisy Mwanza (2002) to investigate the Extended Activity System surrounding peer support for Undergraduate students at UCL Computer Science. Researching E-learning Summer School, 2008/9 part of my PG Cert in Learning Technologies.

1. Dave Twisleton
Employing Activity Theory
to investigate
self support for students

2. About Me
Social Sciences
1998
Computer Science
Technical Support
2008

3. Menu
 Activity theory overview
 Relevance to my research
 Analysis method
 AODM (Mwanza 2002)
 Value
 Status
 Follow on

4. Activity Theory
Subject Object

5. Activity Theory
Mediating Tool
Subject Object

6. Activity Theory
Mediating Tool
Subject Object
Community

7. Activity Theory

8. Application
 Technical Support documents
 Problem classes
 Student initiated wikis
 Facebook groups

9. Activity Oriented
Design Method
 Mwanza 2002
 Conceptualising an activity system
 Eight-Step-Model
 Activity Notation
 Method for generating research questions
 Technique for mapping the activity
system.

10. Data Gathering
 Student year
 Technical Support tools
 Typical problems
 Formal / informal groups

11. Eight Step Model
Identify the: - Question to Ask
Step 1 Activity of interest What sort of activity am I interested in?
Step 2 Objective Why is the activity taking place?
Step 3 Subjects Who is involved in carrying out this activity?
By what means are the subjects performing
Step 4 Tools this activity?
Are there any cultural norms, rules or
Step 5
Rules and regulations governing the performance of this
Regulations activity?
Who is responsible for what, when carrying out
Step 6 Division of labour this activity and how are the roles organised?
What is the environment in which this activity
Step 7 Community is carried out?
What is the desired Outcome from carrying out
Step 8 Outcome this activity?

12. Activity Notation
Actors Mediator Object-ive
(Doers) (Purpose)
Subjects Tools Object
Subjects Rules Object
Subjects Division of Labour Object
Community Tools Object
Community Rules Object
Community Division of Labour Object

13. Generating Questions
6 General Questions:
•What Rules affect the way the Subjects achieve the Objective and how?
•How does the Division of Labour influence the way the Subjects satisfy their
Objective?
•What Tools do the Subjects use to achieve their Objective and how?
•How do the Tools in use affect the way the Community achieves the
Objective?
•What Rules affect the way the Community satisfies their Objective and how?
•How does the Division of Labour affect the way the Community achieves
the Objective?

14. Generating Specific
Questions

15. Eureka!
http://www.lifewithalacrity.com/2004/03/the_du
http://www.forrester.com/Groundswell/profile_t
http://www.kottke.org/08/12/does-the-broken-w
http://www.pewinternet.org/

16. Next step
 Specific questions
 Different groups
 Focus groups?

17. Follow on
 New support tools – Wiki?
 Rules & guidelines for usage
developed with students
 Work with tutors to improve
problem classes

18. Bibliography
 Mwanza, D. (2002) “Towards an Activity-Oriented Design
Method for HCI Research and Practice.” PhD Thesis - The Open
University, United Kingdom.
 Ackerman, M. S. (1994). Augmenting the organizational
memory: A field study of answer garden. Proceedings of the
CSCW’94 Conference on Computer Supported Cooperative Work,
243–252. New York: ACM.
 Becker, Howard (1958). “Problems of Inference and Proof in
Participant Observation.” American Sociological Review, Vol. 23,
No. 6 (Dec, 1958), 652-660.
 Nardi, B.A. (1996) Context and consciousness: activity theory
and human-computer interaction / edited by Bonnie A. Nardi.
Cambridge, Mass.; London : MIT Press
 Linda L Briggs, "The Power of Wikis in Higher Ed," Campus
Technology, 20/8/2008,
http://www.campustechnology.com/article.aspx?aid=66505
 Yahoo Design Patterns:
http://developer.yahoo.com/ypatterns/