A cultural-historical activity theory approach to collaborative learning in programs of pre-service teacher education: exploring implications for educational policy and practice

In this paper the concept of collaborative learning is studied and illustrated in the dynamic between mezzo-systemic inter-institutional enactments of policies for partnership and collaboration between universities and schools offering pre-service teacher education programs and the micro-systemic level of inter-individual collaborative encounters between participants to the learning activity. The analysis uses conceptual and methodological tools of the Cultural Historical Activity Theory (CHAT). Analysis is located in two programs for pre-service teacher education - one in the Western Europe (UK), the other in the post-communist Eastern Europe (Romania). This work was supported by CNCSIS-UEFISCSU, project number 21, PN II-RU-PD 21/2010. (C) 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Selection and/or peer-review under responsibility of Dr. Zafer Bekirogullari.