Appropriation (education)
Encyclopedia
Appropriation is the process of constructing knowledge
from social and cultural sources, and integrating it into pre-existing schemas. It is a developmental process that comes about through socially formulated, goal-directed, and tool-mediated actions. Appropriation draws on the developmental theories of Piaget
and Vygotsky, as both the cognitive and social-constructivist views of learning are equally emphasized. Fundamental to appropriation is the idea that knowledge is socially constructed and that the student plays an active role in its construction. Appropriation has occurred when the student has adapted the information in a way that is meaningful to them and they can use the knowledge as their own.
is often understood and analyzed through activity theory
. This theory was developed by Leont’ev and focuses on understanding the socio-cultural context (specifically the setting) learning occurs in. Activity theory is predicated on the assumption that a person's frameworks for thinking are developed and carried out in specific settings, and that these settings mediate cognitive development
. Since appropriation also places a strong emphasis on setting, these theories complement each other when being used to analyze learning environments.
of the information they have learned. Their beliefs and behaviours concerning the concepts learned also change. These transformations alter the student’s conception of the information, which will affect how that information is given to others interacting with the student. How knowledge is transferred from one person to the next is an important aspect of appropriation and demonstrates the collaborative aspect of appropriation, where knowledge is constantly being negotiated with other. Collaboratively, students and teachers construct knowledge in a way that is meaningful to them.
Knowledge
Knowledge is a familiarity with someone or something unknown, which can include information, facts, descriptions, or skills acquired through experience or education. It can refer to the theoretical or practical understanding of a subject...
from social and cultural sources, and integrating it into pre-existing schemas. It is a developmental process that comes about through socially formulated, goal-directed, and tool-mediated actions. Appropriation draws on the developmental theories of Piaget
Piaget
Piaget is surname of:* Edouard Piaget , Swiss entomologist* Jean Piaget , Swiss developmental psychologist* Paul Piaget , a Swiss rower...
and Vygotsky, as both the cognitive and social-constructivist views of learning are equally emphasized. Fundamental to appropriation is the idea that knowledge is socially constructed and that the student plays an active role in its construction. Appropriation has occurred when the student has adapted the information in a way that is meaningful to them and they can use the knowledge as their own.
Activity Theory
Appropriation in educationEducation
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
is often understood and analyzed through activity theory
Activity theory
Activity theory is a psychological meta-theory, paradigm, or theoretical framework, with its roots in Lev Semyonovich Vygotsky's cultural-historical psychology. Its founders were Alexei N...
. This theory was developed by Leont’ev and focuses on understanding the socio-cultural context (specifically the setting) learning occurs in. Activity theory is predicated on the assumption that a person's frameworks for thinking are developed and carried out in specific settings, and that these settings mediate cognitive development
Cognitive development
Cognitive development is a field of study in neuroscience and psychology focusing on a child's development in terms of information processing, conceptual resources, perceptual skill, language learning, and other aspects of brain development and cognitive psychology compared to an adult's point of...
. Since appropriation also places a strong emphasis on setting, these theories complement each other when being used to analyze learning environments.
Process of Appropriating Knowledge
Hung has developed steps through which the appropriation of knowledge usually occurs. The process is as follows:- Growing into dependencyDependencyDependency or dependent may refer to:-Computer science:*dependency, also called Coupling , a state in which one object uses a functionality of another object...
(submitting): the studentStudentA student is a learner, or someone who attends an educational institution. In some nations, the English term is reserved for those who attend university, while a schoolchild under the age of eighteen is called a pupil in English...
recognizes the differences between their beliefs/knowledge and the beliefs/knowledge of the teacherTeacherA teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
. The student accepts the teacher as the leader and submits to their beliefs, knowledge and rules.
- Dependency (mirroring): The student adapts strategies to help submit to the beliefs, knowledge and rules of the teacher. The student questions the teacher and other students and begins to co-construct and negotiate meanings.
- Growing out of dependency (constructing): the student experiments with the beliefs, knowledge and rules co-constructed with the teacher and other students and uses these ideas outside of the classroom. The student discovers patterns, ideas, concepts and beliefs inherent to the learning communityLearning communityA learning community is a group of people who share common emotions, values or beliefs, are actively engaged in learning together from each other, and by habituation. Such communities have become the template for a cohort-based, interdisciplinary approach to higher education...
and applies them to other environments.
Five Degrees of Appropriation
Through research with English teachers, Grossman et al. developed a theory to describe the varying levels of appropriation. The degrees of appropriation are as follows:- Lack of appropriation: the student has not appropriated the knowledge. This may occur because the conceptConceptThe word concept is used in ordinary language as well as in almost all academic disciplines. Particularly in philosophy, psychology and cognitive sciences the term is much used and much discussed. WordNet defines concept: "conception, construct ". However, the meaning of the term concept is much...
being taught is too difficult for the student to comprehend or is too foreign to fit into the learner’s prior frameworks at that point in their development.
- Appropriating a label: the student knows the name of the concept but knows none of the features.
- Appropriating surface features: the student knows most of the features of the concept, but does not understand how those features contribute to the conceptual whole.
- Appropriating conceptual underpinnings: the student grasps the theoretical basis that informs and motivates the use of the concept and is able to make use of the concept in new contexts and for solving new problems. This is the level of appropriation that teachers and students should strive for.
- Achieving mastery: the student has the skills to use the concept effectively and to its fullest effect. This should also be strived for, but would likely to years of practice to achieve.
Factors Affecting Degree of Appropriation
There are a variety of factors that can affect the level of appropriation that the student achieves. Some of these factors are:- The role the student plays in the learning process: students that play an active role in their learning process are more likely to appropriate knowledge.
- The social context of learning: this refers to the environment where the student learning, the values and expectations implied in the learning environment, how the knowledge is introduced by the teacher, and the social practices that occur in the learning environment. A more positive learning environment will most likely result in higher degrees of appropriation.
- Individual characteristics of the student: this includes the beliefs, goals, expectations, and motives of the student. The closer a student’s values align with those of the teacher, the more likely a student will appropriate the knowledge. A student’s motives also effect the degree of appropriation. Students who are intrinsically motivated are more likely to reach a higher level of appropriation.
- Interest and knowledge of the teacher: a teacher who appears more interested and/ or knowledgeable in the content being taught is more likely to influence appropriation in their students.
Outcomes of Appropriation
Through appropriation students construct their own versions of knowledge, allowing internalizationInternalization
Internalization has different definitions depending on the field that the term is used in. Internalization is the opposite of externalization.- General :...
of the information they have learned. Their beliefs and behaviours concerning the concepts learned also change. These transformations alter the student’s conception of the information, which will affect how that information is given to others interacting with the student. How knowledge is transferred from one person to the next is an important aspect of appropriation and demonstrates the collaborative aspect of appropriation, where knowledge is constantly being negotiated with other. Collaboratively, students and teachers construct knowledge in a way that is meaningful to them.