TY - GEN
T1 - A qualitative metasynthesis of activity theory in SIGDOC proceedings 2001-2011
AU - Stewart, Jennifer
AU - Baker, Nicki Litherland
AU - Chaney, Sarah
AU - Hashimov, Elmar
AU - Imafuji, Elizabeth
AU - McNely, Brian
AU - Romano, Laura
PY - 2012
Y1 - 2012
N2 - Activity theory has become an increasingly important theoretical framework for practitioners and researchers in a wide variety of fields. Offering a set of tools for exploring and theorizing everyday practice, activity theory has proven to be a useful lens for exploring how various artifacts and genres mediate social practices. This article systematically analyzes the use of activity theory by researchers publishing work in the ACM SIGDOC proceedings between 2001 and 2011. By paying attention to the cultural-historical situatedness of a given author, his or her terminology, and the ostensible function of activity theory within each piece, a more comprehensive understanding of the adaptive nature of activity theoretical approaches to design of communication emerges. And as activity theory continues to be used within disciplines relevant to design of communication, a framework for understanding both the previous and potential roles of activity theory in the scholarly literature is needed and is provided, in part, by our analysis.
AB - Activity theory has become an increasingly important theoretical framework for practitioners and researchers in a wide variety of fields. Offering a set of tools for exploring and theorizing everyday practice, activity theory has proven to be a useful lens for exploring how various artifacts and genres mediate social practices. This article systematically analyzes the use of activity theory by researchers publishing work in the ACM SIGDOC proceedings between 2001 and 2011. By paying attention to the cultural-historical situatedness of a given author, his or her terminology, and the ostensible function of activity theory within each piece, a more comprehensive understanding of the adaptive nature of activity theoretical approaches to design of communication emerges. And as activity theory continues to be used within disciplines relevant to design of communication, a framework for understanding both the previous and potential roles of activity theory in the scholarly literature is needed and is provided, in part, by our analysis.
KW - Activity theory
KW - Function
KW - Genre
KW - Information ecologies
KW - Lineage
KW - Terminology
KW - Writing
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84869006587&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84869006587&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1145/2379057.2379120
DO - 10.1145/2379057.2379120
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:84869006587
SN - 9781450314978
T3 - SIGDOC'12 - Proceedings of the 30th ACM International Conference on Design of Communication
SP - 341
EP - 348
BT - SIGDOC'12 - Proceedings of the 30th ACM International Conference on Design of Communication
T2 - 30th ACM International Conference on Design of Communication, SIGDOC 2012
Y2 - 3 October 2012 through 5 October 2012
ER -