Last week we ran another #LrnSciChat Twitter chat and discussed the role of the body and space for learning and teaching. An approach in cognitive psychology called “embodied cognition” emphasizes the importance of one’s body for learning, comprehension, thinking, and perception and in today’s digest we wanted to provide a few resources on embodied cognition and its merits for education.

1) Embodied Cognition by Nora Evett

A light-hearted and fun explanation of embodied cognition. It is a good introduction to this philosophical and quite complex topic.

2) Embedded Phenomena: Increasing Comprehension of STEM Concepts Using Body and Space by Carolina Kuepper-Tetzel via The Learning Scientists, @pimpmymemory

In this blog post a classroom experiment is described in detail that shows that using the body and space can enhance understanding of natural phenomena in science.

3) Embodied Cognition: Using Dance to Teach Computational Thinking by Nikeetha D’Souza via Voices of VR Podcast

In this podcast Nikeetha D’Souza is interviewed and explains how middle school girls were taught concepts of computational thinking through dance.

4) Mind-Body Math: Manipulatives in the Digital Age [Infographic] by Christine Byrd, @WriterByrd

This is a nice infographic that gives an overview of using manipulatives in math to increase comprehension in young children. Using gestures systematically can help guide attention and foster understanding in pupils.

5) The Connection between Embodied Cognition and Learning: 3 Examples from Physics Education by Doug Holton, @edtechdev

This post explains why we tend to hold misconceptions in regard to laws of physics – for example, about the trajectory of moving objects. Embodied cognition can help us understand our pitfalls and help us overcome them as well.

Every Sunday, we pick a theme and provide a curated list of links. If you have a theme suggestion, please don’t hesitate to contact us! Occasionally we publish a guest digest, and If you'd like to propose a guest digest click here. Our 5 most recent digests can be found here:

Weekly Digest #113: Achieving Work Life Balance in Teachers

Weekly Digest #114: Productivity

Weekly Digest #115: Open Access Education Journals

Weekly Digest #116: Getting Ready for Effective Teaching

Weekly Digest #117: The Relationship between Mental Health and Cognition