CHAT Africa Forum was founded on 4th April, 2013 in the School of Education, University of Cape Town by staff and students of the University of Cape Town (UCT) and Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT). The founding members comprised of Dr Eddie (Azwi) Muthivhi (Chair); Ms Giulietta Harrison (now Dr. Giulietta Harrison Scribe); Dr Joanne Hardman; Dr Heather Jacklin; A/Prof Dick Ng’ambi; Ms S’mangele Mayisela; Ms Anya Morris; Ms Joy Levine and Ms Nazia Bavo.


The purpose of Cultural-Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) Scholarly Forum is to create a platform for doctoral and master students pursuing research within the cultural-historical activity theory (CHAT) research framework, so as to receive peer review and deepen their understanding of research and advances in CHAT theory and methods. Doctoral and masters research students are thus provided with the opportunity to build relations with other students or academics working in CHAT and intersecting fields.


CHAT Africa Forum further aims to foster robust debates and critical scholarship, as well as cultivating innovative research informed by contemporary advances in CHAT and related theoretical and methodological traditions. To this end, CHAT Forum endeavour to encourage local and international scholarly and research collaborations for purposes of addressing developmental and transformational issues and challenges within schooling and society in Africa particularly, and the global majority world communities more broadly.



Milestone & Achievements



Milestone achievements of CHAT Africa Forum during its short history



No 1





The first international Symposium on Primary Education, entitled: Transformative Activist Stance on Learning and Development: New Perspectives for Cultural-Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) was hosted with Professor Anna Stetsenko of City University of New York in The School of Education, University of Cape Town, on 22-23 March 2012.



No 2





The second symposium, hosted on 31 July 2015 entitled: The Dynamics of Expansive Learning, had Professor Yrjö Engeström and Professor Annalise Sannino—both from the University of Helsinki, as the keynote speakers.



No 3





Doctoral graduation of CHAT Forum’s first student convenor, Dr Giulietta Harrison, December, 2014, and took a position with Rhodes University as Director of the Centre for Social Development.



No 4





The second CHAT Forum doctoral student convenor, Dr Simangele Mayisela visited Professor Engeström‘s CRADLE Center at the University of Helsinki in 2014. Dr Mayisela graduated in 2017 and took up an academic position in the School of Human and Community Development at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg.



No 5





CHAT Forum is currently hosted by the Department of Early Childhood Education at the University of Cape Town, where Prof Azwi Muthivhi is HOD.





CHAT Africa Forum



ECE Department, University of Pretoria, Groenkloof Campus, Aldoel 2 Building, Levels 2 & 3.