Congruence and Tension among Activity Systems in a Tripartite Partnership for Systemic Reform

Abstract

Systemic reform often involves partnerships between multiple communities of practice (CoP). In order to understand the strengths and challenges of a partnership, it is necessary to examine the objectives and practices of the constituent communities and the forces that shape these practices. This paper presents an activity theory analysis of relationships between three CoPs in a systemic reform effort, Hawai`i Networked Learning Communities. Essential tensions between the activity systems of the CoPs are analyzed to understand key issues encountered in the implementation, particularly with respect to the role of technology in mediating systemic reform.