LOOKING THROUGH A VYGOTSKIAN LENS: NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR PRACTICE BASED RESEARCH Esther Joosa – Independent Researcher and Practitioner ESTHER JOOSA ISCAR

THIS PRESENTATION  The investigation, the argument, the issues  Development of the investigation  The framework, shaped by the questions and investigation  Individual viewpoints in research and practice  Q & A ESTHER JOOSA ISCAR

A BRIEF BACKGROUND  This presentation is based on my PhD research of 6 young adults with  Initially questions about the individual participant’s motivation and the influences of the group guided my search for explanation  An analysis of Vygotsky lifeworks and lead to a focus on the perezhivanie as a source of the semiotic development and link to position the participants artistic meaning-making.  Gradually a the perezhivanie shaped understanding that as researchers and practitioner we deal with our own perezhivanie. It brings understanding that within cultural-historical theory (and for that matter) any theory each researcher bring forward his or her individual philosophical ‘continuum’. ESTHER JOOSA ISCAR

INDIVIDUAL VIEWS WITH A SHARED VISION  “Inventing the future: Transformative research, imagination and collective action for social change”  As researchers and practitioners we all aim to contribute in a small way to research and this conference  By taking on the epistemology of cultural-historical perspective we become part of a community  However, this community is not homogeneous, within this conference we share a common focus but are guided by individual perceptions.  Taking on a Vygotskian lens may not have universal values. How we interpret his work has a significant effect on research and research based teaching. ESTHER JOOSA ISCAR

THE RESEARCHER’S ONTOLOGY The impact of political, social and ideological viewpoints has left its effect on contemporary cultural-historical theory and the way the researcher positions him or herself in research and practice Valsiner, 2000, p. 64 ESTHER JOOSA ISCAR

TAKING ON A SPECIFIC LENS  General assumptions: Ontology are the beliefs about the way we see the world are central to this presentation. There is long standing agreement that research informs practice, and practice informs research  Research epistemology: In the realms of this research, a search for opportunities for people with a disability in arts education, and everyday life, we are in the midst of enormous change and dialogue is required to explore new possibilities.  Axiology: As research moves away from employing a positivist approach and embraces the individual experience. This requires transparency about interpretation, truth and values. ESTHER JOOSA ISCAR position

VYGOTSKY’S PEREZHIVANIE – A MATTER OF ONTOLOGY AND EPISTEMOLOGY  The three children are brought to our clinic, but each one of them presents a completely different picture of disrupted development, caused by the same situation. The same circumstances result in an entirely different picture for the three children.  The three researchers that are brought to this research, each one of them presents a completely different picture of disrupted development, caused by the same situation. The same circumstances result in an entirely different picture for the three children ESTHER JOOSA ISCAR

RESEARCH AND THE INDIVIDUAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE SOCIAL WORLD  A Vygotskian lens, brings focus to the complexity of Vygotsky's viewpoints in research. This makes the role of the methodology a not so ready made toolkit  Posing sound questions makes it possible to create an awareness of self and recognise how each one of us is a semiotic creature  These questions are important in the position of dialogue about research and practice and to accommodate cultural variations ESTHER JOOSA ISCAR

TRANSPARENCY THROUGH QUESTIONS ESTHER JOOSA ISCAR

LIVING IN A SEMIOTIC WORLD  Current research perspectives emphasise that experiences do not occur in a vacuum but are part of complex semiotic processes  The name Vygotsky is often mentioned and cited in current arts-based research, the main dilemma for this investigation was the relatively little research that employs a clear Vygotskian perspective that outlines how to frame arts-based semiotic research. ESTHER JOOSA ISCAR

DEVELOPMENT OF THE FRAMEWORK  What are the data: 200 artworks, 19 episodes 36 hours of video  Who are involved: 6 participants ESTHER JOOSA ISCAR P1P2Trends/is sues E1 E2 E3

DEVELOPMENT OF NEW QUESTIONS ESTHER JOOSA ISCAR  What are the features of the individual  How are these linked with actions

MOVING BACK TO THE DIARY AND RECOGNISING CHANGE OVER TIME OR SUDDEN ADDITIONS.  What are the changes  How did they come about  Where there events ESTHER JOOSA ISCAR

THE INDIVIDUAL IN GROUPLIFE ESTHER JOOSA ISCAR

THE PEREZHIVANIE AS THE ROOT OF THE SIGN BRINGS RECOGNITION OF ONGOING AWARENESS ESTHER JOOSA ISCAR

MEDIATING ROLE OF INFLUENCES BRINGS AWARENESS OF CRITICAL MOMENTS ESTHER JOOSA ISCAR

A HOLISTIC FRAMEWORK OF DEVELOPMENT ESTHER JOOSA ISCAR

THE SIGN: SEMIOTIC AWARENESS  Looking through a Vygotskian lens evidences that the use of symbols and signs are hardly arbitrary products of common understanding and universal reasoning. Unless we become aware of our position this remains unconscious probes of reality. It will not allow us to defend or alter our viewpoints  The perezhivanie and the role of the sign bring insights that practices and research are part of a process that moves both inward and outward. The perezhivanie allows us to become conscious of others as well as ourselves as semiotic creatures. ESTHER JOOSA ISCAR

CONCLUSION  Vygotsky’s work on the individual experience and connection with the context allows to give shape to the ontology of the researcher.  In a future that is marked by heterogeneity, this requires an acknowledgement of the individual experience and that in the development of cultural historical theory each brings in an individual research perspective.  Looking through a Vygotskian lens, the concept of the perezhivanie and attention to the sign is not a magic potion but the start of deep self- questioning. It allows to position our ontology and to question what reality is like and how individual perspectives become part of a larger dialogue and ongoing-knowledge construction. ESTHER JOOSA ISCAR

Q & A ESTHER JOOSA ISCAR