Theorising effective uses of digital technology with activity theory

ABSTRACT

Effective uses of digital technologies are vital to full inclusion in a network society. Digital-abilities researchers have produced several major frameworks, but these have generally not incorporated socio-contextual perspectives. To explore this lacuna, and engage in a reflective act of theorisation, activity theory is used to conceptualise four sub-systems of digitally mediated action. Eschewing technological determinism, humans are positioned as active agents capable of identifying, taking up, modifying and even subverting established technology uses in pursuit of meaningful objectives. At the same time, attention is given to contextual conditions shaping diverse activity systems supported by assemblages of humans and machines. Having theorised effective digital-technology uses through the lens of activity theory, the author reflects on this conceptual apparatus itself. In so doing, activity theory is characterised as a fertile, if complex and contested, future-oriented tradition that challenges individual-social dichotomies and addresses both humans and machines as mediators of activity, development and learning.

KEYWORDS:

• Activity theory
• digital competence
• digital technology uses
• educational technology
• human–computer interaction (HCI)

Acknowledgments

The author acknowledges the tremendous contributions of Dr Olena Mykhailenko, who translated portions of Leontiev’s Russian articles and provided feedback on the manuscript as it developed, and Dr Mark Dawson, who offered insightful commentary on a draft. He also acknowledges the many helpful insights, tools and resources shared by Dr Roland vanOostveen and Dr François Desjardins, current and past directors of Ontario Tech University’s EILAB. He is thankful to Kate Gibbings at Ontario Tech University’s library, Tatyana Seryogina at the Vernadsky National Library of Ukraine, and the librarians of the National Library of Russia for providing access to Leontiev’s later articles on computer technology and automation. Finally, the author recognises the boundless hospitality of friends and colleagues in Kyiv, Ukraine, where this manuscript was researched and written.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Todd J. B. Blayone

Todd J. B. Blayone is a cross-cultural researcher in educational informatics and computer science – living in Toronto, Canada and Kyiv, Ukraine – associated with the EILAB, Ontario Tech University, Canada. His research explores human readiness for digitalised learning and work. He functions as an online instructor in educational technology at Ontario Tech University and a principal researcher for a funded project exploring transformative digital learning at Rēzekne Academy of Technologies, Latvia.