Embodied Learning – A Pedagogy of Action

Photo by Zachary Nelson on Unsplash

Your body is more than a container for your brain; it is an integral part of experiencing the world and takes an active role in the neuroscience of learning. Embodied learning recognizes the importance of physical movement and sensations in the meaning-making process. So much of our current vision of education prioritizes the brain and stems from the work of philosophers like Decartes, Locke, and Kant who theorized a mind-body split (Macedonia, 2019). With the mind being lauded as the seat of reason and rationality, “We sit quietly and concentrate on our “mental” tasks(s)” (Macedonia, 2019). Yet building research aligns that the physical body plays an important role in cognition and understanding.

Your body was probably integral in understanding math as you learned how to count using fingers, or as you perform simple functions like addition and subtraction by moving physical objects. Your body might still be important for you as you gesture while telling stories and organizing your thoughts, or as you learn new software procedures by rehearsing keystrokes and mouse clicks. When a person knows something intuitively, they describe having a “gut feeling” or by knowing it in their bones. Embodied learning is the basis for no-tech learning methods like Total Physical Response, gestural response, simulation, and roleplay, and enhances the learning process of high-tech learning tools like VR and AR. While embodied practices are prevalent in primary educational settings, they often dwindle with older learning audiences, perhaps because of the prevailing attitude that learning happens in the mind only and that acceptable ways of sharing that information is through written or verbal methods.

This case study will introduce applications of embodied learning and show how these practices promote engagement and memory retention by connecting learners with a complex and meaningful understanding through experience.

Body-Mind Connection

Physically interacting with concepts by manipulating apparatus or moving the body will enhance the learner’s connection to the learning concept because “the mind is integrated into the body’s sensorimotor systems” (Macedonia, 2019). Hebb (1949) explained the connection between cognition and behavior using neuropsychological theory; when we act, the neurons and brain areas used for that behavior wire together to create a neural network that connects concrete experiences with cognitive processes. Experiments with vocabulary show that reading action words like “kick” also activate portions of the brain’s motor cortex that controls that particular motion (Hauk et al., 2004). In other experiments, when participants were asked to visualize an apple, areas in their brains related to movement, tasting, and smelling the fruit were also activated even though the participants didn’t physically take any such actions (Buccino et al., 2016). Macedonia (2019) explains, “Theories of embodied cognition suggest that the mind is not an abstract and isolated entity.” Because we take in new information with our bodies, and the brain is a part of our body, neural processes related to movement, sensory stimulus, and memory all fire and connect with each other during the learning process.

Stimulation and Curiosity

Keller and Deimann (2018) explain that curiosity is aroused when learners notice “unanswered questions or unresolved conflicts” (p. 80) and they try to close those knowledge gaps. Combatting boredom keeps learners alert enough to maintain and act upon their curiosity. Keller and Deimann (2018) add that students with “higher sensation seeking needs have higher levels of boredom susceptibility” (p. 80) and thus need “more frequent changes of topic, instructional tactics, or media to remain engaged in the learning process” (p. 80). Embodied learning activities use stimulating bodily movement to prevent boredom. Large-motor movements, like standing, dancing, or moving, stimulate blood flow and oxygenate the brain to improve mental focus for learning and memory formation (Hillman et al. 2008). The firing of motor neurons also primes the brain for learning and improves executive functioning (Tomporowski et al. 2008). Physically moving primes the brain to receive new information and close knowledge gaps.

Professor Matthew Yedlin uses an interactive simulation to teach his students the difference between linear and exponential growth in his course about nuclear weapons and arms control at The University of British Columbia (POLI369T-SCI, 2014). In his model, students conduct a series of experiments where they tap a fellow student’s desk and stand prompting their classmate to follow suit in either in a linear fashion, one at a time, or an exponential fashion, two at a time. The delivery method shifts from a theoretical or visual explanation to a physical experience as they see and experience the difference between linear growth and exponential growth play out in the classroom around them. The new instructional tactic adds variety to the instruction preventing boredom. It also promotes curiosity by encouraging students to consider their own experience and hypothesize why the experience changed from a linear model, one person moving at a time, to an exponential model, multiple people moving at a time.

Authentic and meaningfully related to one’s goals

Learners may be more motivated to pursue a learning goal if they perceive it to be relevant to their personal goals (Keller & Deimann, 2018, p. 80). Keller and Deimann (2018) go on to explain that “meaningful challenges” (p. 81) and “high levels of interest” (p. 81) help to motivate goal pursuit. Embodied learning activities emphasize personal experience and learning by doing. Because they are the performers of the actions, the learner integrates the process into their self-narrative (Zittoun & Brinkmann, 2012). Herrington and Reeves (2018) list one tenet of authentic learning as needing to “provide authentic contexts that reflect the way knowledge will be used in real life” (p. 296). Embodied learning activities often offer authentic modes of practicing skills that learners need because the learner is performing actions in an applied context.

For example, medical students who use Embodied Labs virtual reality experiences see and experience what it’s like for an individual with macular degeneration to move through daily tasks. Learners see what it’s like to visit with family and not be able to connect directly with people, or what it’s like to need help filling out forms at doctor’s office (Embodied Labs, 2016). The experience will help these learners when they work with geriatric patients because they’ll be able to connect with the patient based on their VR experience having had difficulty performing such tasks themselves.

Positive Experience of Outcomes

GoNoodle is an educational media content company that creates guided videos and games that offer opportunities for embodied movement. When watching didactic videos, like Water Cycle, learners copy whole body and supportive gestures as they learn new vocabulary and information about scientific processes (GoNoodle, 2017). While GoNoodle is designed for learners who already know English, several studies show links between supportive gestures and improved language acquisition for a non-native language (Macedonia, 2019). For example, one experiment found that learners who practice gestures that support the meaning of a word, as they learn the word, have better recall and forget fewer words than learners who don’t practice gestures simultaneously during learning (Quinn-Allen, 1995). In another study, Japanese verbs were learned using audio and visuals and either a gesture that supported the meaning of the word or a non-matching gesture (Kelly et al., 2009). Only the words that were learned with matching gestures resulted in better memorization and recall.

When students encode and recall information using embodied practices, they can physically recognize themselves as taking an active role in the learning process. Learners gain satisfaction by recognizing their own effort as the reason for their success (Keller & Deimann, 2018, p. 81). This allows them to anticipate positive outcomes based on their efforts. Additionally, synchronizing movements with other people leads to greater connection with those individuals and a greater sense of self-efficacy (Lumsden et al. 2014). Researchers theorize that by synchronizing with other people, individuals build co-supportive bonds and internalize the success and efficacy of the other as also being true for themselves.

Building Volitional Strategies

Embodied learning encourages learners to notice the sensations in their physical bodies and allows them to adjust their behaviors. When learners are able to notice their own mental state and adjust their actions accordingly, they build productive behaviors to stay focused on their work and protect their intentions. Keller and Deimann (2018) explain that these types of volitional strategies “help students prioritize their goals and avoid being distracted” (p. 81). Learning technologies have started to include these types of volitional techniques as well. GoNoodle flow videos teach similar centering activities that help learners build self-regulatory behaviors. Mindful videos, like Bring It Down, encourage students to wonder about and practice the effects of visualization and mindfulness (GoNoodle, 2016).

In my work as a high school English teacher, I taught mindful breathing techniques as a way to help students manage anxiety brought on by high-stakes testing. I guided students to recognize their own physical responses to stressful situations, like the tensing of shoulders or shallowness of breath. Once students were aware of their body’s signals, they could practice a grounding technique, like belly breathing or noticing their five senses, to guide themselves back into a calm space so they could refocus and continue their work. I use similar techniques with adult audiences to prime them for a learning experience. I often introduce a breathing technique or a physical movement at the beginning of training sessions to help adult learners adjust to the new setting and open to new ideas.

Conclusion and Considerations for Instructional Design

It is important to note that simulations and roleplays must be led carefully to avoid unintended effects. Historical roleplays, for example, may subject learners to traumatic experiences or “oversimplify the history of oppression” (Drake, 2008). Yet learner’s brains are already creating meaning through physical experiences, so it benefits all involved to intentionally design embodied instructional methods into the learning process.

The emphasis on movement may seem antithetical to current learning environments that emphasize behavioral compliance, like sitting quietly in a desk, as a sign of focus. Creating a space for embodied learning requires individuals to act in exploratory ways using their bodies. Such behaviors may run counter to current behavioral expectations and situational norms of a college classroom or a company boardroom, yet the experience and connection created show that these untapped strategies can enrich these learning environments in powerful ways.

Emphasizing the experience of the learner also challenges common instructional practices in higher education and adult learning where information is often delivered through instructor-led lectures and published work. Integrating embodied practice requires instructors to become facilitators of experience rather than keepers of knowledge. These practices place control of the learning within the learner rather than looking to outside experts for validation. Embodied learning empowers learners to trust their experience as a unique body of knowledge.

Nick Gissal is a Faculty Development Trainer at Full Sail University and has been recognized for his teaching in Seminole County, Florida. He practices building community through embodied learning as a yoga teacher.

References

Drake, I., (2008). Classroom simulations: Proceed with caution. Learning for Justice. https://www.learningforjustice.org/magazine/spring-2008/classroom-simulations-proceed-with-caution

Embodies Labs. (2016, May 7). We are Alfred – Embodied labs [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/pOW7oG6bIFI

GoNoodle | Get Moving. (2016, August 24). Bring it down – flow | gonoodle [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/bRkILioT_NA

GoNoodle | Get Moving. (2017, May 19). Water cycle – blazer fresh | science video | gonoodle [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/KM-59ljA4Bs

Hauk, O., Johnsrude, I., and Pulvermüller, F. (2004). Somatotopic representation of action words in human motor and premotor cortex. Neuron, 41(2). 301-307. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0896-6273(03)00838-9

Hebb, D. (1949). The organization of behavior. A neuropsychological theory. John Wiley and Sons.

Herrington, J., & Reeves, T.C. (2018). Keep it real: The benefits of authentic tasks in contemporary learning environments. In R. A. Reiser, & J.V. Dempsey (Eds.), Trends and issues in instructional design and technology (4th ed., pp. 296-302). [eBook edition]. Pearson. https://bookshelf.vitalsource.com/#/books/9780134237039/

Hillman, C. H., Erickson, K. I., & Kramer, A. F. (2008). Be smart, exercise your heart: exercise effects on brain and cognition. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 9(1), 58–65.

Keller, J. M., & Deimann, M. (2018). Motivation, volition, and performance. In R. A. Reiser, & J.V. Dempsey (Eds.), Trends and issues in instructional design and technology (4th ed., pp. 78-86). [eBook edition]. Pearson. https://bookshelf.vitalsource.com/#/books/9780134237039/

Kelly, S. D., McDevitt, T., and Esch, M. (2009). Brief training with co-speech gesture lends hand to word learning in a foreign language. Language and Cognitive Process. 24(2), 313-334. https://doi.org/10.1080/01690960802365567

Lumsden, J., Miles, L. K., Macrae, C. N. (2014). Sync or sink? Interpersonal synchrony impacts self-esteem. Frontiers in Psychology, 5:1064. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.01064

Macedonia, M. (2019). Embodied learning: Why at school the mind needs the body. Frontiers in Psychology, 10(2098), 1-8. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02098

POLI369T-SCI. (2014, December 10). Student simulation of exponential growth [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/1_SwKG4Zt60

Quinn-Allen, L. (1995). The effects of emblematic gestures on the development and access of mental representations of french expressions. The Modern Language Journal, 79, 521-529. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-4781.1995.tb05454.x

Tomporowski, P. D., Davis, C. L., Miller, P. H., & Naglieri, J. A. (2008). Exercise and children’s intelligence, cognition, and academic achievement. Educational Psychology Review, 20(2), 111–131. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-007-9057-0

Zittoun, T., & Brinkmann, S. (2012). Learning as meaning making. In N. M. Seel (Ed.), Encyclopedia of the sciences of learning (pp. 1809-1811). Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-1428-6_1851