Hands-on, Minds-on
Francoise Herrmann (fherrmann who-is-at igc.apc.org)
Tue, 19 Sep 1995 13:24:21 -0700
Hi everyone, Just a thought about cartesian either-or-ism in the
educational context. The director of the Exploratorium museum here
in San Francisco developed an exhibit model called hands-on,
minds-on, with a surprise mechanism to engage the visitor
(cognitively). Extrapolated to tasks and activity in the
classroom, there is conceptualizing and language use that arise in
activity (is invoked by tasks and actions at hand). Perhaps that
it is a lot more fun to make batteries than to talk about making
them. And that it is the old fear that making batteries precludes
talking watts.
Francoise Francoise Herrmann fherrmann who-is-at igc.org
PS. But thanks for pointing out that Descartes might have been
"happy" when he made his distinctions. I can buy that, but I still
feel bad when I read the "nothingness" stuff.