About this Research Topic
Historical-Cultural Psychology emerged in the early twentieth century in the former Soviet Union. It sought to understand and explain how the superior psychological functions of the individual developed based on the principles of dialectical historical materialism. Throughout the twentieth century, it was the subject of work by important scholars who helped to disseminate and expand the theory, such as Lev Vygotsky (1896–1934), Alexander Luria (1902–1977), Alexei Leontiev (1903–1979), and Vasily Davydov (1930–1998). Thus, Vygotsky, considered one of the main theorists of this psychological current, sought to demonstrate that the relationship between teaching, learning, and development was mediated by the social (as developed in the historical process) and cultural relationships of the individual, that is, that the human mind develops through the activities of the subject in his communication and interaction with other people.
One of the most significant contributions of the historical-cultural activity theory is the conception of the formation of action by stages. This conception might be understood in two ways: 1) in a broad way as general psychological conception and 2) in a straight way as a conception of the process of teaching and learning according to activity theory. We propose to consider the union of these two conceptual possibilities as a general methodological proposal for the study of development. We revise the possibility for the usage of these methodologies in a broad way, which might include modes of positive development together with developmental difficulties. Our proposal opens the question about types of actions, which might be considered during the formation process, such as practical and intellectual actions. We discuss the usefulness of this psychological conception for the methods of assessment, correction, and teaching, which conduct of development of the child, but not excluding young people and adults.
That is why we believe that developmental education is one way to promote advances in the teaching and learning of school and university students through study activities that enable them to develop their superior psychological functions, such as modifying their realities, by exercising awareness of this very reality.
The aim of this Research Topic is to address the theme of developmental teaching from the perspective of Historical-Cultural Psychology. Our goal is to contribute to a better understanding of the global educational debate on the contributions of developmental teaching in different international contexts. Therefore, we welcome articles from different research contexts and different countries that investigate developmental teaching from the Historical-Cultural Psychology perspective.
Relevant sub-themes may include, but are not limited to:
- Study activity
- Theoretical thinking
- Theory of orientation
- Formative Intervention / Formative Experiment
- Assessment of development
- Stage by stage formation
- Teaching Higher Education
- School education
- Developmental Didactics
- Developmental Psychology
Keywords: Historical-Cultural Psychology, Theoretical Thinking, Developmental Teaching, Concept Formation, Teaching, Formative experiment, stage by stage formation, activity theory, innovative education.
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
