Emerging Forms of Formative Intervention Research in Education

This article focuses on emerging forms of formative intervention research in educational settings in the United States. The examples presented share three key features with cultural-historical activity theory (CHAT) formative intervention research: (a) a focus on historically accumulating structural tensions within and across activity systems, (b) use of double-stimulation as a method of intervention, and (c) expanding agency as the object of intervention. The examples differ from CHAT approaches in that they employ theories and tools from research on subject-matter learning and organizations. In presenting these examples, I aim to renew dialogue between CHAT researchers and learning scientists about intervention research.