ABSTRACT
This chapter introduces the notion of affordance as a means for reflecting about resources in relation to learning and Designs For Learning. Instead of taking resources for granted as stable and pre-defined components of a Learning Design Sequence, the chapter argues that there is much to gain by attending to questions regarding the material qualities of these resources: how—based on their constitution—do they lend themselves to meaning-making activities and to whom? The chapter also argues for the importance of attending to what learners themselves distinguish as resources in their meaning-making endeavours. What is recognized as a resource for a certain purpose can tell us something about how meaning-makers position themselves in the world and how they relate to the subject area in focus. A focus on what resources are used, how and for what means also compels reflections regarding the social and cultural contexts of learning as well as the agency of learners. As a methodological consequence the chapter emphasizes the importance of approaching issues regarding resources for learning by studying meaning-making in situ. The various reflections about resources and affordances presented in this chapter are illustrated and exemplified with glimpses from previous research projects in different settings.
