Observing systems
Working Session 4,
25th annual meeting of the International Group for the Psychology of
Mathemtics Education (PME25)
David A Reid, Acadia University, Canada
Laurinda Brown, Alf Coles, University of Bristol, Graduate School of
Education, UK
Aims:
As researchers we observe the dynamics of learners and groups of learners
in communication with one another. Individuals can be described as autopoietic
systems; systems that are self-perpetuating. Systems theory can also
be applied to groups. Learners in communication can be said to form a social
system. We will explore the differences and similarities in the three perspectives
on the observation of social systems of Bateson, Maturana & Varela
and Luhmann.
In a reading which participants will get before meeting the author states:
Gregory Bateson defines information, or the basic unit of information
in communicational and mental processes, as "a difference which makes a
difference" (e.g. Bateson, 1972:453). And in Niklas Luhmann's terminology,
observation means nothing more than handling distinctions - making a difference
in this context involves an observing system (Alrøe, 2000).
Maturana and Varela deal with the issue of observers making distinctions
within systems of which they are a part. All three perspectives bring a
systems view to the making of distinctions and cognition. The aim of this
working session is for us to understand more fully the differences in these
approaches, and their use in observing cognition in individuals and in
social systems.
Activities:
The work of the group will revolve around analysis of a video tape segment
and associated transcript. Relevant selections from the literature
will be distributed ahead of time to prospective participants, to establish
a basis for our work (see below). Multiple
viewings of the video, small and whole group discussion of it from perspectives
guided by the three approaches, and sharing representations of the data
seen from these perspective will be the main activities during the two
90 minute programme slots. Participants will be invited to continue
our collaboration via email after PME25.
Selections from the literature:
Alrøe, H.F. (2000). Science as systems learning: some reflections
on the cognitive and communicational aspects of science, in Cybernetics
and Human Knowing, Vol 7, No 4, pp 57-78. (Extract
pp. 65-67.)
Bateson, G. (1972). Steps to an ecology of mind. Ballentine Books,
New York. (Extract p. 455 and pp. 457-459).
Bateson, G., (1978). 'Afterword', in J. Brockman (Ed.) About Bateson,
London: Wildwood House (Extract pp. 244-245).
Luhmann, N. (1995). Social Systems. Stanford University Press,
Stanford, California (Extracts pp. 439-441 and pp.
442-444).
Maturana, H. & Varela, F. (1992/1987). The Tree of Knowledge:
The Biological Roots of Human Understanding. Shambala: Boston. (Extract
pp. 198-199: "Organisms and societies")
[Observing Systems] [PME25]
For information contact david.reid@acadiau.ca