Work Activity

Questions and Answers

Linda S. van Rens

Martha L. Haigler

Neill A. Kipp

(table of contents)

1. Questions and Answers from Day 1

• Is social scaffolding the only way to competence?
  • According to activity theory, yes

• What is the relation to software/interface design?
  • Activity theory says that good system design requires understanding of work processes

• How does observation relate to all this?
  • Ethnography (=observation) is a way to study work processes

• What is the relationship between work activity theory and ethnography?
  • Answer: Pay attention today

2. Open Questions

• What is the goal of activity theory?
  • give a model

  • explain thinking

  • explain learning

• The notion that we develop differently from person to person makes me wonder at what point (or even if we do) associate the same symbols and concepts with the same meanings.

• Can you really only feel emotions that can be verbalized?

• Why were computer scientists helping lawyers?