Boundary Zones as Sites for Communities of Practice: Postmodern Mapping with Activity Theory for Change
This was a meandering but productive process. I started early, building off the the course work from this class along with previous course work and my general research/exams/dissertation goals. Because starting is usually the hardest part of the process, it was nice to have some fertile ground in the beginning. I just started writing, revising, remixing, and writing more. The difficult part this time was finding my focus. After all of that writing, I realized I still hadn't said as much as I wanted. My working thesis was something like this: Because it is necessary to know the various aspects of a field in order to determine what areas may contribute to my research in a purposeful and meaningful way, I start by developing a construct of TPC, relating it to some aspects of WPA work and reflecting on the communicative practices involved in this |
work. This section is followed by a discussion of how TPC has (re)considered what disciplines are and could be in addition to how my research relates to thinking beyond common disciplinary and institutional boundaries. In the next section I turn specifically to my research, considering activity theory as a tool for postmodern mapping, transformative PD as expansive learning, transfer as boundary crossing, and disciplines as institutions. I close with a discussion of what TPC’s boundary crossing and writing studies’ transfer theory, when put in conversation with each other, offer to each other, TPC and writing studies, and my identity theory work.
When I took the time to step back and look at the picture with a backwards outline, I realize I was trying to do way too much within this one paper. While I think the portions of this version of the text on WPAs
When I took the time to step back and look at the picture with a backwards outline, I realize I was trying to do way too much within this one paper. While I think the portions of this version of the text on WPAs
as TPCs is interesting and will be useful in the future for things like situating my research and myself on the job market, I decided to cut it from this project. I also cut the sections where I situate this project within my broader research. I still have drafts with this information in it (like the document 'WPAs as TPC_hot mess' located below), but it was too much for this project. Instead, I focus on four conceptual themes that emerged from my research in TPC theory that also dovetail nicely with my exams and dissertation topics: boundary crossing, disciplines, activity theory, and postmodern mapping.
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Another difficult but fun part of this process was trying to figure out how all of these concepts fit together. While I initially thought I would be thinking about boundary crossing in terms of transfer theory and postmodern mapping in the context of just my research, I discovered an umbrella under which all of them fit, institutional critique. In this context, I am currently thinking about boundary crossing and disciplines in terms of conceptualization and theorizing. Activity theory and postmodern mapping are used in the action research part of the project. Once I starting think about these concepts in these ways, things started clicking.
After writing through most of these ideas, I wanted to apply them to see if what was making sense in my head could actually work. I used Prezi to think through and develop some of the working templates, starting with an activity theory framework and adding layers from there. While Prezi isn't the most ideal tool for this kind of mapping, it does offer a nice view of the evolution of
After writing through most of these ideas, I wanted to apply them to see if what was making sense in my head could actually work. I used Prezi to think through and develop some of the working templates, starting with an activity theory framework and adding layers from there. While Prezi isn't the most ideal tool for this kind of mapping, it does offer a nice view of the evolution of
the maps as I revised the templates as I tried applying them to different situations from the WAC Academy (a kind of visual playtime). They are all still works in process, but I am excited about the possibilities that they offer.
One of the maps that I am most excited about thinking about more is the comparison of systems (located below). The current version does not include the additional layers of boundary zones and communities of practice, but by putting the two frames together opened up a lot of new ways to think about mapping for me. What other kinds of combinations are possible? What could they reveal?
One of the maps that I am most excited about thinking about more is the comparison of systems (located below). The current version does not include the additional layers of boundary zones and communities of practice, but by putting the two frames together opened up a lot of new ways to think about mapping for me. What other kinds of combinations are possible? What could they reveal?
All of these maps and the paper itself are still works in progress. While I think I made some good connections and was able to synthesize some key ideas for my research, the paper is still fragmented and incomplete in certain areas. One of these areas is the application of postmodern mapping to the WAC Academy. While I was able to do the application in the maps, I am still having |
difficulty writing about doing it. (You gotta love the irony.) One reason I find this challenging is because most of the previous research that I have read on postmodern mapping applies it to actual, physical spaces, and I am attempting to apply it to a more abstract context.
To address this challenge, I created a heuristic for thinking through creating postmodern maps based on the scholarship of Sullivan, Porter, and Grabill. Next, I plan to adapt the heuristic for its application to situations that are more context based (rather than physical space). I can think this process will help me develop some of the language and concepts to think and write about mapping contexts.
To address this challenge, I created a heuristic for thinking through creating postmodern maps based on the scholarship of Sullivan, Porter, and Grabill. Next, I plan to adapt the heuristic for its application to situations that are more context based (rather than physical space). I can think this process will help me develop some of the language and concepts to think and write about mapping contexts.
boundary_zone_cops.pdf |