Activity Theory Workshop
Helen Hasan
Call for Participation
Workshop on Activity Theory and Information Systems
Tuesday December 3, 1996, at the University of Wollongong
The objective of this workshop is to bring together researchers and practitioners interested in using Activity Theory (from the Vygotskian cultural-historical psychology) to understand the development of computerised information systems. Prominent researchers of the international HCI community have recognised the limitation of cognitive psychology in understanding the human users of computer systems and are turning to alternatives such as Activity Theory. We are fortunate that several of these researchers, listed below, will be in Wollongong for the Workshop.
The Workshop will include presentations from our international guests as well as panel and group discussions. There will be ample opportunity for workshop participants to interact and learn from each other.
Areas of the cultural-historical approach to be covered include:
contextual analysis
activity systems
structure of activities
tool mediation
hierarchy of motives
Speakers:
Bonnie A. Nardi, ( Advanced Technology Group, Apple Computer Inc, USA)
http://www.atg.apple.com/personal/Bonnie_Nardi/
Bonnie Nardi is an anthropologist in the Apple Research Laboratories at Apple Computer in Cupertino, California. She has studied Samoan villagers, spreadsheet users, brain surgeons, reference librarians and American teenagers, among others. She is interested in intelligent agents, end user programming, and theoretical approaches to the study of human-computer interaction, especially activity theory. She is the author of A Small Matter of Programming: Perspectives on End User Computing, MIT Press, 1993, and the editor of Context and Consciousness: Activity Theory and Human- Computer Interaction, MIT Press, 1996. Her career goals are to promote reflection about technology and its role in human life and to extend computing power to ordinary people.
Kari Kuutti, Department of Information Processing Science, University of Oulu, Finland.
Kari holds a PhD in Information Systems from the University of Oulu and worked for some time as the principle researcher of the Finnish part of a multinational European Union project ('COMIC') on CSCW. He is on the board of the Activity Theory and Developmental Work research Unit in the University of Helsinki and head the User Interface and Group Technology Laboratory in the Department of Information Processing Science, University of Oulu. he is heavily influenced by the "Finnish variant of AT, developed by Y Englestrom and his co-workers.
Monique Linard, CNRS-IRPEACS, France
Monique is presently Professor in Educational Sciences in University Paris 10-Nanterre. She holds higher degrees in English language, linguistics and psychology; studies in semiotics and specialised in the field of educational technologies (audio-visual then computer) in relation with human learning. From 1992 to 1995 she was director of IRPEACS, a CNRS (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique) research laboratory in Lyon, focused on adult training with ICT technologies. Her particular interest are in working towards a comprehensive understanding of human learning as an integrated process of interdependent biological, psychological and social constituents. Hence she has a special interest in action-based theories as a possible framework to help rethink the problem of technologically mediated learning and activity in general.
Irina Verenikina, Institute of Psychology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow
Irina Verenikina is a Senior Researcher at the Institute of Psychology of the Russian Academy of Sciences. She graduated from the Department of Psychology at Moscow State University, where she studied Activity theory from it's originators. She holds a Ph.D. in psychology from the Russian Academy of Education. During the last seven years she has worked within a joint Russian-American computer tele-communication project based theoretically on the Vygotskian approach and Activity theory. Her research interests relate to the use of new technologies for child development and how they are embedded in different kinds of children's activities. For the last two years she has been working with the Department of Business Systems at Wollongong University on aspects of the application of Activity theory to human-computer interaction.
Organisers: Ted Gould, Helen Hasan & Peter Hyland
Please contact us for information:
Email: h.h...@uow.edu.au
Phone: 61 42 213755 (Ted) 61 42 213757 (Helen) 61 42 213759 (Peter)
Fax: 61 42 214474
Department of Business Systems
University of Wollongong
Wollongong 2522, Australia
Preliminary Programme
Time Event Presenter
8:30 Registration plus wake up Tea & Coffee
8:45 Activity Theory and Information Systems in Organisation Kari Kuutti
9:45 Break for Tea & Coffee
10:00 Video Conference Discussion on the Acceptance of AT in the USA
Bonnie Nardi (USA) with Panel (Local)
11:15 Break for Tea & Coffee
11:30 Tutorial on Activity Theory Irina Verenikina
12:45 Lunch & Discussion on the Future of the Group
1:45 Tutorial on Activity Theory Irina Verenikina
2:45 Break for Tea & Coffee
3:00 HCI and IS Research using AT and other Qualitative Interpretivist Approaches
Monique Linard
4:00 Break for Tea & Coffee
4:15 Panel Discussion Kari, Monique, Irina & others
* all activities will be in the Communications Building except for lunch
Registration for Workshop on Activity Theory and Information Systems
December 3 1996, University of Wollongong
Surname: _______________________ First Name: _____________________
Preferred Name: (for use on name tag)
__________________________
Position: ___________________ Organisation:
_______________
Address: _______________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
City: _______________ State: _______________ Postcode:
_______________
Country:_______________________ Email:_______________________
Phone No: ( ___ ) ____________ Fax No: (____ ) ______________
Accommodation (if required)
Arrival Date: ..../....96 at ......am/pm Departure Date: ..../..../96 .....am/pm
I require a Single Room [ ] Double Room [ ] # People [ ]
[ ] Novotel Northbeach, North Wollongong (Beachfront) from $120.00 Single/Twin/Double Room
[ ] Boat Harbour Motel 7-9 Wilson Street Wollongong (Beachfront) - single $72.90 - double $79.20
[ ] The Normandie, 30 Bourke St. North Wollongong Single (room only) $60 ($65 with continental
breakfast) - Double (room only) $70 ($80 with continental breakfast)
[ ] City Pacific 112 Burelli St. Wollongong Standard single/double - $65
[ ] City Pacific 112 Burelli St. Wollongong Budget - single $30 - double $40
Amount enclosed: Registration ($150)* ........................
Accommodation .................................
Total .................................
* (Student discounts are available on request.)
To confirm your reservation a deposit of the first night's accommodation is required. Attach a cheque made payable to Department of Business Systems, to this form and return to:
Helen Hasan
Department of Business Systems
University of Wollongong
Wollongong 2522, Australia
It would help us to plan the workshop if you could also include a brief outline of your background and interest in this area.