Community of Learners: Ontological and non-ontological projects

Authors

  • Eugene Matusov School of Education University of Delaware
  • Katherine von Dyuke School of Education University of Delaware
  • Sohyun Han School of Education University of Delaware

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.7146/ocps.v14i1.6062

Keywords:

Community of learners, Bakhtin, ontological projects, dialogic pedagogy, innovative pedagogy

Abstract

Our analysis reveals two major types of "Community of Learners" (COL) projects: instrumental and ontological. In instrumental COL, the notion of community is separated from instruction in order to reach some preset endpoints: curricular or otherwise. We notice three main instrumental COL models: relational, instructional, and engagement. Ontological COL redefines learning as an ill-defined, distributed, social, multi-faceted, poly-goal, agency-based, and situated process that integrates all educational aspects. We will consider two ontological COL projects into: narrowly dialogic and polyphonic.

Author Biographies

Eugene Matusov, School of Education University of Delaware

Eugene Matusov is a Professor of Education at the University of Delaware. He was born in the Soviet Union. He studied developmental psychology with Soviet researchers working in the Vygotskian paradigm and worked as a schoolteacher before immigrating to the United States. He uses sociocultural and Bakhtinian dialogic approaches to education, which he views as transformation of participation in a sociocultural practice.

Katherine von Dyuke, School of Education University of Delaware

Sohyun Han, School of Education University of Delaware

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Published

2013-01-29

How to Cite

Matusov, E., Dyuke, K. von, & Han, S. (2013). Community of Learners: Ontological and non-ontological projects. Outlines. Critical Practice Studies, 14(1), 41–72. https://doi.org/10.7146/ocps.v14i1.6062

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Section

Articles