Vygotsky (1978) writes, “man’s alteration of nature alters man’s own nature†(p. 55). Tools created to act on the external world can become signs to organize psychological activity via internalization. In other words, we use our brains to create something in the world that, in turn, reorganizes our brains!
Thoughts on this or other sociocultural issues...
~Christina
OECD expert Wrote:Vygotsky (1978) writes, “man’s alteration of nature alters man’s own nature” (p. 55). Tools created to act on the external world can become signs to organize psychological activity via internalization. In other words, we use our brains to create something in the world that, in turn, reorganizes our brains!
Thoughts on this or other sociocultural issues...
~Christina
December 30, 2005
Good Evening.....
"Man's alteration of nature alters man's own nature"
by Lev Vygotsky 1978. Yes, this is happening now with noninvasive technology whereby we can develop complex scanning to reading what our brain is doing and how it is functioning. Pretty cool! I have a very long urls that I retrieved from the internet December 30, 2005 that addresses many of Vygotsky's thoughts including sociocultural issues...
Best,
Rob
URL:
http://webpages.charter.net/schmolze1/vy...index.html
URL:
http://webpages.charter.net/schmolze1/vy...nshaw.html
Please look at this next url and especially refer to chapter 5 Socioculturally situated theories of learning. Also....please find this quote in chapter 5: “man’s alteration of nature alters man’s own nature” (p. 55).
URL:
http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&...otsky+p.55
January 2, 2006
Good Day
, [Sociocultural/Physical change in brain]
Back in May or June 2005, I mentioned that learning is a physical change in the brain. I sat with James Zull for hours at a MIND, BRAIN AND EDUCATION INSTITUTE at Harvard University during the summer 2002. Jim was just releasing his new book on The art of changing the brain...and his abstract and notes were most interesting to read.
Based on learning being able to physically change the brain by the generation of new neuronal networks, I wonder how much change is made physically in the brain by sociocultural learning or on the opposite scale 'brainwashing'. Can brainwashing physically change the brain? Can sociocultural learning physically change the brain? If the answer to either of these two questions is 'yes' then maybe, just maybe, we need to spend more indepth learning about other cultures et al.
We know that if we have non-adaptive physical change in the neuronal networks of the brain, it is most difficult challenge to correct. Maybe what we already know about understanding sociocultural learning should be much more experiential and profound than it is currently. We might even begin to understand each other a little bit better and adapt to a more middle ground position or solve problems without weapons, ie. war, poverty, hunger, anger, etc. I could go on and on, but I think the point is made.
Be well,
Rob
P.S. Children are many times graded on 'how well they get along with other'...do we take heed of this grade or dismiss it and look to college prep grades with much greater weight.
January 11, 2006
We must look at the sociocultural perspectives that affects a biological-inclination to learn. The will to learn is there [inclination]. But the biology must be operating well to do just about everything including learning. I am speaking directly to the sociocultural environment....specifically [poverty].
A strong inclination as one might have, cannot over come starvation and extreme poverty. Oh yes, the biological-inclination to learn is still there, but the body including the CEO brain cannot function with malnourishment and unacceptable health. Think about it.
Be well,
Rob