Genetic-modeling method and diagnostic of new psychological formations of learning activity ²²³⁵

The article provides critics of genetic-modeling method proposed by L. S. Vygotsky as an alternative for testing method. L. S. Vygotsky ideas connected with development of the new method of research and diagnostic of emerging new psychological formations – genetic-modeling method, and the practice of research and diagnostic of developing effects of learning activity in the theory by D. B. Elkonin and V. V. Davydov are compared. The comparison is based on the following groundings: learning activity theory successively elaborates the idea of overcoming the natural in the cultural and reproduces the main features of genetic-modeling method in designing cycles of learning tasks (units of learning activity); meanwhile the diagnostic procedures designed in the theory and practice of learning activity generally reproduces testing method. The possibilities for appeal to genetic-modeling method and synthesis of the concepts of “instrumental act” (L. S. Vygotsky) and “learning task: (V. V. Davydov) are suggested. L. V. Bertzfai’s experiment is regarded as the prototype of the research practice synthesizing the subject-matter of these concepts. A version of methodic, illustrating the authors understanding of such synthesis, is described.

Keywords: genetic-modeling method, instrumental act, sign mediation, unit of analysis, learning activity, learning task, generalized action

Column: Topical reports