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Enactive Education: Dynamic Co-Emergence, Complexity, Experience, and the Embodied Mind

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Enactive Education: Dynamic Co-Emergence, Complexity, Experience, and the Embodied Mind ENACTIVE EDUCATION: DYNAMIC CO-EMERGENCE, COMPLEXITY, EXPERIENCE, AND THE EMBODIED MIND by Diana M. Zorn A thesis submitted in conformity with the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Graduate Department of Theory and Policy Studies Ontario Institute for Studies in Education University of Toronto © Copyright by Diana M. Zorn 2011 ENACTIVE EDUCATION: DYNAMIC CO-EMERGENCE, COMPLEXITY, EXPERIENCE, AND THE EMBODIED MIND Doctor of Philosophy, 2011 Diana M. Zorn Graduate Department of Theory and Policy Studies Ontario Institute for Studies in Education University of Toronto ABSTRACT The potential of a broad enactive approach in education has yet to be realized. This thesis contributes to the development of a well-rounded enactive educational theory and practice. This thesis argues that a broad enactive perspective has the potential to challenge, reframe and reconfigure problems, issues and practices in education in ways that improve teaching, learning and research communities. It establishes that a broad enactive approach as a theory of embodied mind, a dynamic co- emergence theory, and a method of examining human experience helps to realize the meaning, scope, and potential of enactive education. It takes as its point of departure Dewey‘s broad enactive philosophy of mind, cognition, embodiment, experience, and dynamic co-emergence. It shows, through an examination of an actual public classroom encounter, that a broad enactive approach has the potential to reconfigure responsibility, ethics and justice in education. It demonstrates using a case study of the enactment of impostor feelings in higher education how a broad enactive approach to education as the potential to reconfigure teaching, learning and research practices. ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Embarking on this thesis was, as Pema Chödrön (1997) observed, ―like getting into a very small boat and setting out on the ocean to search for unknown lands‖ (p.1). To paraphrase Chödrön, like all explorers, I was drawn to discover what‘s waiting out there without knowing yet if I had the courage to face it. The help of skilled and caring people around me gave me the strength and courage to take this journey. I would not have had the courage to face the challenging and inspiring difficulties of this thesis without the expertise, guidance and support of the members of my thesis committee. I would specially like to thank Dr. Megan Boler, my supervisor, whose selfless sharing of her skills and knowledge, encouragement, and mentoring fuelled my enthusiasm to explore further, and inspired and guided me through to the completion of this thesis. Her belief in me and my ability made this journey possible. I also wish to thank my other committee members, Drs. Jim Garrison and Joyce Mgombelo, for their expertise, support, helpful discussions, and numerous detailed, insightful comments and feedback during the thesis process. Thanks also to Dr. Brent Davis for bringing his expertise to reading the entire, final version of my thesis and for helpfully calling attention to several places where my arguments could be improved. Writing this thesis mobilized and coordinated virtually every aspect of me. No one has given me more encouragement, aid and love, through this difficult and long process, than Brent J. Arnold, my husband. The love and gratitude that I feel for him is boundless. In addition to his tireless patience with my long periods of self-absorption while struggling with this thesis, he also lovingly engaged in discussions on a wide iii variety of topics related to this thesis and generously gave me advice on the writing process. I cannot imagine having written this thesis without him. I also express deep gratitude to Eugene and Anne Zorn, my parents, Irene Zorn, my sister, Donna and Ross Arnold, and my dear friends Sheena Macrae, Jackie MacVarish and Jonathan Freedman. They have had to share in the life of this tumultuous thesis and have given support in ways too numerous to detail. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................................... II ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ........................................................................................................ III LIST OF TABLES ...................................................................................................................... VIII INTRODUCTION THE NEED FOR A PROMISING, WELL-ROUNDED, ENACTIVE EDUCATIONAL THEORY AND PRACTICE ....................................................................1 PART I: THE ENACTIVE APPROACH IN EDUCATIONAL THEORY ..............................7 CHAPTER 1 ORIGINS AND CORE OF THE ENACTIVE APPROACH .......................8 1 A Theory of Mind .............................................................................................................9 1.1 Cognitivism .............................................................................................................10 1.2 Connectionism ........................................................................................................13 1.3 Embodied Dynamicism .........................................................................................15 2 A Method of Examining Experience ............................................................................17 2.1 Western Traditions: Continental European Phenomenology ..........................18 2.2 Eastern Traditions: Buddhist Psychology ...........................................................25 3 Theory of Emergence ......................................................................................................33 4 Core of the Enactive Approach .....................................................................................37 4.1 The Broad Enactive Perspective ...........................................................................40 4.1.1 The embodiment thesis ..............................................................................42 4.1.2 The emergence thesis ..................................................................................43 4.1.3 The self-other co-determination thesis ....................................................46 5 Conclusion .......................................................................................................................48 CHAPTER 2 THE ENACTIVE APPROACH IN EDUCATION: UNDERSTANDING THE PROBLEM-SPACE OF COMPLEXITY THEORY ...................................................50 1 The Enactive Approach in Education ..........................................................................51 1.1 The Broad Enactive Perspective ...........................................................................52 1.1.1 Cognition and knowledge .........................................................................53 1.1.2 Pedagogy ......................................................................................................60 1.1.3 Qualitative research ....................................................................................63 1.1.4 Curriculum ...................................................................................................75 1.1.5 Experiential learning ..................................................................................81 1.1.6 Professional learning ..................................................................................82 1.2 The Narrow Complexity Theory View ................................................................83 1.2.1 Curriculum ...................................................................................................87 1.2.2 Pedagogy ......................................................................................................89 1.2.3 Educational research...................................................................................90 1.2.4 Epistemologies of schooling ......................................................................92 1.2.5 Ethics .............................................................................................................93 v 2 The Problem-Space of the Received View ...................................................................94 2.1 The Complexity Heritage ......................................................................................94 2.2 The Problem-Space of the Received View ........................................................101 2.2.1 Personal subjectivities criticism ..............................................................103 2.2.2 Justice and right action challenge ...........................................................104 2.2.3 Power objection .........................................................................................106 2.2.4 Reinscribing dualisms in language criticism ........................................108 3 Concluding Remarks ....................................................................................................109 CHAPTER 3 DEWEY‘S BROAD ENACTIVE APPROACH ..........................................110 1 Perception as Embodied Action ..................................................................................111 1.1 Descartes‘ Dualism ...............................................................................................111 1.2 Argument for the Unity of Activity ...................................................................120 1.2.1 Inseparability of perception and movement .........................................121 1.2.2 Perceptually guided action ......................................................................121
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