{"id":"https://openalex.org/W2147684084","doi":"https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8535.2008.00838.x","title":"Rules, roles and tools: Activity theory and the comparative study of e\u2010learning","display_name":"Rules, roles and tools: Activity theory and the comparative study of e\u2010learning","publication_year":2008,"publication_date":"2008-04-21","ids":{"openalex":"https://openalex.org/W2147684084","doi":"https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8535.2008.00838.x","mag":"2147684084"},"language":"en","primary_location":{"id":"doi:10.1111/j.1467-8535.2008.00838.x","doi":"https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8535.2008.00838.x","is_oa":false,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8535.2008.00838.x","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S110346167","display_name":"British Journal of Educational Technology","issn_l":"0007-1013","issn":["0007-1013","1467-8535"],"is_oa":false,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":true,"listed_in":["abdc-a","anvur-class-a","anvur-scientific","cwts-core","erih-plus","fnege-3","jufo-2","ki-jl-1","norway-1","poland-140","russia-white-list-1","vabb-shw"],"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/P4310320595","host_organization_name":"Wiley","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/P4310320595"],"host_organization_lineage_names":["Wiley"],"type":"journal"},"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":"publishedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":true,"raw_source_name":"British Journal of Educational Technology","raw_type":"journal-article"},"volume":null,"type":"article","is_traditional":true,"indexed_in":["crossref"],"open_access":{"is_oa":false,"oa_status":"closed","oa_url":null,"any_repository_has_fulltext":false},"authorships":[{"author_position":"first","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5039680940","display_name":"Angela D. Benson","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9182-1271","observed_orcids":["https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9182-1271"]},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I17301866","display_name":"University of Alabama","ror":"https://ror.org/03xrrjk67","country_code":"US","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I17301866"]}],"countries":["US"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Angela Benson","raw_affiliation_strings":["University of Alabama"],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"University of Alabama","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I17301866"]}]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5053242407","display_name":"Cormac Lawler","orcid":null,"observed_orcids":[]},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I28407311","display_name":"University of Manchester","ror":"https://ror.org/027m9bs27","country_code":"GB","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I28407311"]}],"countries":["GB"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Cormac Lawler","raw_affiliation_strings":["School of Education, University of Manchester"],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"School of Education, University of Manchester","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I28407311"]}]},{"author_position":"last","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5003098468","display_name":"Andrew Whitworth","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9971-4665","observed_orcids":["https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9971-4665"]},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I28407311","display_name":"University of Manchester","ror":"https://ror.org/027m9bs27","country_code":"GB","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I28407311"]}],"countries":["GB"],"is_corresponding":true,"raw_author_name":"Andrew Whitworth","raw_affiliation_strings":["School of Education, University of Manchester"],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"School of Education, University of Manchester","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I28407311"]}]}],"institutions":[],"countries_distinct_count":2,"institutions_distinct_count":2,"corresponding_author_ids":["https://openalex.org/A5003098468"],"corresponding_institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I28407311"],"apc_list":{"value":4250,"currency":"USD","value_usd":4250},"apc_paid":null,"fwci":8.7569,"has_fulltext":false,"cited_by_count":69,"citation_normalized_percentile":{"value":0.97440695,"is_in_top_1_percent":false,"is_in_top_10_percent":true},"cited_by_percentile_year":{"min":87,"max":99},"biblio":{"volume":"39","issue":"3","first_page":"456","last_page":"467"},"is_retracted":false,"is_paratext":false,"is_xpac":false,"primary_topic":{"id":"https://openalex.org/T14496","display_name":"Educational Technology and E-Learning","score":0.6259999871253967,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1710","display_name":"Information Systems"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/17","display_name":"Computer Science"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}},"topics":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/T14496","display_name":"Educational Technology and E-Learning","score":0.6259999871253967,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1710","display_name":"Information Systems"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/17","display_name":"Computer Science"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T11466","display_name":"Innovative Education and Learning Practices","score":0.30640000104904175,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/3304","display_name":"Education"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/33","display_name":"Social Sciences"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/2","display_name":"Social Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10162","display_name":"Online and Blended Learning","score":0.022600000724196434,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/3304","display_name":"Education"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/33","display_name":"Social Sciences"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/2","display_name":"Social Sciences"}}],"keywords":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/activity-theory","display_name":"activity theory","score":0.8790000081062317},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/e-learning","display_name":"online learning","score":0.9760000109672546},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/virtual-learning-environments","display_name":"virtual learning environments","score":0.953000009059906},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/moodle","display_name":"Moodle","score":0.9940000176429749},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/activity-systems","display_name":"activity systems","score":0.7910000085830688},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/higher-education-programs","display_name":"higher education programs","score":0.41600000858306885},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/technology-adaptation","display_name":"technology adaptation","score":0.44200000166893005}],"concepts":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/C159334719","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1819937","display_name":"Activity theory","level":2,"score":0.8180223703384399},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C139807058","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q352374","display_name":"Adaptation (eye)","level":2,"score":0.7566338777542114},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C56739046","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q192060","display_name":"Knowledge management","level":1,"score":0.670299768447876},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2779343474","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3109175","display_name":"Context (archaeology)","level":2,"score":0.6332707405090332},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C41008148","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q21198","display_name":"Computer science","level":0,"score":0.5183702111244202},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C166955791","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q629579","display_name":"Macro","level":2,"score":0.5024721622467041},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C3017399102","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q397254","display_name":"Macro level","level":2,"score":0.49615058302879333},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C144024400","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q21201","display_name":"Sociology","level":0,"score":0.46988585591316223},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C195094911","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q14167904","display_name":"Process management","level":1,"score":0.36980924010276794},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C144133560","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4830453","display_name":"Business","level":0,"score":0.28415778279304504},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C15744967","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q9418","display_name":"Psychology","level":0,"score":0.21613141894340515},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C19417346","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7922","display_name":"Pedagogy","level":1,"score":0.18014681339263916},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C86803240","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q420","display_name":"Biology","level":0,"score":0.0},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C162324750","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q8134","display_name":"Economics","level":0,"score":0.0},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C151730666","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7205","display_name":"Paleontology","level":1,"score":0.0},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C199360897","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q9143","display_name":"Programming language","level":1,"score":0.0},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C74363100","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q273005","display_name":"Economic system","level":1,"score":0.0},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C169760540","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q207011","display_name":"Neuroscience","level":1,"score":0.0}],"mesh":[],"locations_count":2,"locations":[{"id":"doi:10.1111/j.1467-8535.2008.00838.x","doi":"https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8535.2008.00838.x","is_oa":false,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8535.2008.00838.x","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S110346167","display_name":"British Journal of Educational Technology","issn_l":"0007-1013","issn":["0007-1013","1467-8535"],"is_oa":false,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":true,"listed_in":["abdc-a","anvur-class-a","anvur-scientific","cwts-core","erih-plus","fnege-3","jufo-2","ki-jl-1","norway-1","poland-140","russia-white-list-1","vabb-shw"],"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/P4310320595","host_organization_name":"Wiley","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/P4310320595"],"host_organization_lineage_names":["Wiley"],"type":"journal"},"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":"publishedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":true,"raw_source_name":"British Journal of Educational Technology","raw_type":"journal-article"},{"id":"pmh:oai:pure.atira.dk:openaire_cris_publications/b191b2c8-39d0-413c-9c1f-8fd0df2026de","doi":null,"is_oa":false,"landing_page_url":"https://research.manchester.ac.uk/en/publications/b191b2c8-39d0-413c-9c1f-8fd0df2026de","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306400662","display_name":"Research Explorer (The University of Manchester)","issn_l":null,"issn":null,"is_oa":false,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"listed_in":[],"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/I28407311","host_organization_name":"University of Manchester","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/I28407311"],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":"publishedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":true,"raw_source_name":"Benson, A, Lawler, C & Whitworth, A 2008, 'Rules, roles and tools: Activity theory and the comparative study of e-learning', British Journal of Educational Technology, vol. 39, no. 3, pp. 456-467. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8535.2008.00838.x","raw_type":"info:eu-repo/semantics/article"}],"best_oa_location":null,"sustainable_development_goals":[{"score":0.8278999924659729,"display_name":"Quality education","id":"https://metadata.un.org/sdg/4"}],"study_designs":[],"awards":[],"funders":[],"has_content":{"pdf":false,"grobid_xml":false},"content_urls":null,"referenced_works_count":22,"referenced_works":["https://openalex.org/W10833075","https://openalex.org/W1494335892","https://openalex.org/W1523284897","https://openalex.org/W1538749266","https://openalex.org/W1544634010","https://openalex.org/W1546350115","https://openalex.org/W1566914577","https://openalex.org/W1768640214","https://openalex.org/W1780382453","https://openalex.org/W1966170796","https://openalex.org/W1967006497","https://openalex.org/W1983798843","https://openalex.org/W2014831132","https://openalex.org/W2021701635","https://openalex.org/W2036673708","https://openalex.org/W2145347566","https://openalex.org/W2159227336","https://openalex.org/W2271590042","https://openalex.org/W2289432595","https://openalex.org/W2528240711","https://openalex.org/W4239678523","https://openalex.org/W4243655879"],"related_works":["https://openalex.org/W160008671","https://openalex.org/W1892526546","https://openalex.org/W1607749399","https://openalex.org/W7165844670","https://openalex.org/W2005304981","https://openalex.org/W144544144","https://openalex.org/W1496044089","https://openalex.org/W1531309548","https://openalex.org/W2339412003","https://openalex.org/W7099069610"],"abstract_inverted_index":{"Abstract":[0],"Activity":[1],"theory":[2],"(AT)":[3],"is":[4,123],"a":[5,92],"powerful":[6],"tool":[7],"for":[8],"investigating":[9],"\u2018artefacts":[10],"in":[11,55,146],"use\u2019,":[12],"ie,":[13],"the":[14,24,29,36,68,71,76,107,115,150],"ways":[15],"technologies":[16],"interrelate":[17],"with":[18,125,156],"their":[19,81,138,157],"local":[20],"context.":[21],"AT":[22],"reveals":[23],"interfaces":[25],"between":[26],"e\u2010learning":[27],"at":[28],"macro\u2010":[30],"(strategy,":[31],"policy,":[32],"\u2018campus\u2010wide\u2019":[33],"solutions)":[34],"and":[35,59,64,75,86],"micro\u2010organisational":[37],"levels":[38],"(everyday":[39],"working":[40],"practice,":[41],"iterative":[42],"change,":[43],"individual":[44],"adaptation).":[45],"In":[46],"AT,":[47],"contexts":[48],"are":[49,62],"conceived":[50],"of":[51,70,103,110,118,133],"as":[52,137],"activity":[53,72,120,143],"systems":[54,144],"which":[56,134,141],"human,":[57],"technological":[58],"organisational":[60,159],"elements":[61],"interrelated":[63],"largely":[65],"inseparable.":[66],"Both":[67],"subjects":[69],"system":[73,95],"(internal)":[74],"wider":[77],"community":[78],"(external)":[79],"mediate":[80],"activities":[82],"through":[83],"tools,":[84],"rules":[85],"roles.":[87],"This":[88,122],"paper":[89],"shows":[90],"how":[91],"course":[93],"management":[94],"(CMS)":[96],"exerts":[97],"an":[98],"influence":[99,112],"over":[100],"all":[101],"three":[102],"these":[104],"mediators,":[105],"though":[106],"exact":[108],"nature":[109],"this":[111],"depends":[113],"on":[114],"particular":[116],"configuration":[117],"each":[119],"system.":[121],"illustrated":[124],"reference":[126],"to":[127],"two":[128],"case":[129],"study":[130],"programmes,":[131],"both":[132],"used":[135],"Moodle":[136],"CMS,":[139],"but":[140],"had":[142,153],"structured":[145],"quite":[147],"different":[148,154],"ways;":[149],"programmes":[151],"also":[152],"relationships":[155],"external":[158],"environment.":[160]},"counts_by_year":[{"year":2026,"cited_by_count":2},{"year":2025,"cited_by_count":4},{"year":2024,"cited_by_count":1},{"year":2023,"cited_by_count":1},{"year":2022,"cited_by_count":1},{"year":2021,"cited_by_count":2},{"year":2020,"cited_by_count":1},{"year":2019,"cited_by_count":3},{"year":2018,"cited_by_count":4},{"year":2017,"cited_by_count":1},{"year":2016,"cited_by_count":6},{"year":2015,"cited_by_count":2},{"year":2014,"cited_by_count":10},{"year":2013,"cited_by_count":6},{"year":2012,"cited_by_count":8}],"updated_date":"2026-11-07T11:25:07.637180","created_date":"2016-06-24T00:00:00"}