Josh Radinsky

Constructions of the Self as Learner: Perspective-Taking and Positioning in Mathematics, History, and Science Learning

Who we are is often a function of who is around us: the self is in many ways defined by the other with whom it is compared, contrasted, and co-constructed. The articles in this issue, representing scholarship from three countries, examine processes of positioning and identity construction in three subject areas. They offer interesting insights into perspective-taking and the negotiation of relationships of power, and the ways people learn through these processes:

Core Commitments and New Horizons

Some articles . . . will present formal studies, others will present informal ones. Some will look at learning in formal learning situations, others will address learning in more informal situations where learning is a byproduct of whatever else is going on. . . . Of particular interest are . . . model[s] of the processes by which reasoning happens, rather than just being an exposé of what is known before and what is known after. . . . What kinds of concepts are necessary? What is their range . . .? What is important to know about each? What are the sources of knowledge that allow some reasoning task to be carried out? . . . The bottom line, whether articles are about learning or education; problem solving, representation, understanding, or reasoning; whether they represent scientific discussions, presentations of technologies, or descriptions of practice with those technologies; whether they tell us how to use machines in education or present good strategies for teaching, is that articles must have the potential to make real contributions to our understanding of successful learning. (pp. 3–4)