Continuing the heritage of Vygotsky as a complexivist: insights from a research project among pre-primary learners in Mauritius

ABSTRACT

Beyond his contributions to the field of psychology, Vygotsky may be considered as ‘one of the first thinkers in complexity’ (Jörg, 2011 p. 14). Vygotsky challenged linear causality and defended the idea of the transcendence of individual learning to focus on the generative potential of learning and development through social interactions, emergence, and self-organisation; these are central ideas of complexity. Based on an epistemology of complexity (Morin, 2008; Alhadeff-Jones, 2013), this contribution aims to present the findings and ex post facto reflections on a research project, carried out in 2016–2017, which explored and modeled the language expérienciations (Engel, 2007) of early childhood learners in thirteen pre-primary schools in the multilingual island of Mauritius. A complexity case-study design (Hetherington, 2013) was used and the findings present ways young learners integrate environmental, contextual and linguistic complexity in their own personal, yet socio-collective trajectories towards the construction of their learning.

KEYWORDS:

• Vygotsky
• complexity
• early childhood education
• epistemology
• multilingualism

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Shameem Oozeerally

Shameem Oozeerally is a member of the French Department at the Mauritius Institute of Education and the Coordinator of the MIE Language Studies Doctoral Research Laboratory, as well as a member of the MIE Research Unit. He has a PhD in Language Studies. His research interests include complexity, multiliteracies, holistic education, ecolinguistics, and creole studies. He was a member of the Editorial Team for Cahiers Internationaux de Sociolinguistique (Special Issue No. 17) and is the Editor of the current MIE - UNESCO journal Kaléidoscope Créole (Vol. 2).

Helina Hookoomsing

Helina Hookoomsing is in charge of the Performing Arts Unit at the Mauritius Institute of Education and is the Assistant Coordinator of the MIE Language Studies Doctoral Research Laboratory, as well as a member of the English Department. She holds a PhD in ecolinguistics and education. Her research interests include ecolinguistics, holistic education, meditation and mindfulness as contemplative practices, drama, and creative expression. She also writes and performs poetry and was awarded the Mauritius Prix de Poésie Édouard Maunick 2019.