Analysis and Dissolution of Potential Contradictions in Thematic Lessons from a Cultural-Historical Activity Theory Perspective

Thematic learning features sustain exploratory activities focused on a selected theme, which contributes to developing students’ core competencies, including problem solving, collaboration, and communication skills, supporting sustainable development in learning. For teachers and students, this emerging pedagogical approach may encounter various contradictions in the classroom activity system. Grounded in a cultural-historical activity theory perspective, this study examined the potential contradictions in an activity system in the context of thematic learning, as well as possible strategies for dissolving those potential contradictions and their effectiveness through a case study. Interviews with an experienced teacher were conducted to acquire information about potential contradictions, and the interview results suggested that these contradictions were perceived as potentially occurring between the students, tools, and objects. According to that information, solutions were proposed to dissolve those potential contradictions, including setting moderate learning objects, creating a sustainable exploratory learning environment, scaffolding necessary knowledge, and situating students in an interactive, communicative, and cooperative classroom environment. Finally, the dissolution of those contradictions was examined through classroom observations, with the results showing that students were able to apply their knowledge accurately and fluently to solve the problems. The contribution of this study involves adopting cultural-historical activity theory as guidance to dissolve the contradictions in classroom teaching, which expands the application of this theory compared to previous studies that focused more on the contradictions between researchers and teachers during a lesson study. This innovative application will inspire teachers to adopt this theory routinely to improve teaching, including designing instructional sequences and question chains that support students’ sustained exploration.