Re: Hands-on, Minds-on

Hiroaki Ishiguro (h-ishi who-is-at ipc.miyakyo-u.ac.jp)
Sat, 30 Sep 1995 14:53:35 -0700

Hi Francoise,

Thank you for your nice explanation of your museum.

>Thank you for the reference to Socially Shared Cognition and for
>sharing your unexpected findings in the science museum context. It
>is interesting how there always seems to be a space between
>intended design and their actual uses. The hands-on/minds model is
>one that theorizes the design of an exhibit, functioning as
>guideline and desciptive schema for the kinds of activities that
>are offered in the Exploratorium. The paper that I have about it
>is an in-house reference and I would be happy to mail you a copy
>(it is in French).

Of course, I would like to get the paper. Could you send the paper
by e-mail?

>The relational component of activity is
>described in so far as it is hypothesized that an element of the
>exhibit will trigger cognitive dissonance in the form of
>questioning behavior. And it is the questioning behavior that
>draws others (friends, family) into the activity of the exhibit.
>The model is hands-on/minds-on because it is contact with the
>exhibit that is hypothesized to trigger surprise (cognitive
>dissonance in the form of questioning behavior).

I appreciate the concept of hands-on/minds-on.
But I think it is also important to assist the user after
the dissonace. The disappointing phenomenan around the exhibit
was related with a lack of the supportive system.
A good supportive system can extend the zone of proximal development.
I often observe the exhibit is designed for a big surprize but the surprizing
behaviour can not always trigger a cognitive dissonance.

Would you tell the designed way of your mesum about transfomation
from a surprize to a dissnonance and an activity change? What kinds
of social tool can help the user to change their activity and cognition?
These tie with relationship between an experience and understanding.

Thanks for your collaboration.

Hiroaki Ishiguro
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   H I R O A K I I S H I G U R O

Department of Educational Psychology, Faculty of Education,
Miyagi University of Education
Aramaki Aza Aoba, Aoba-ku, Sendai, 980 Japan
Phone/Fax:022-214-3523 E-mail :h-ishi who-is-at ipc.miyakyo-u.ac.jp
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