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Abstract While there is increased interest in using movement and embodiment to support learning due to the rise in theories of embodied cognition and learning, additional work needs to be done to explore how we can make sense of students collectively developing their understanding within a mixed-reality environment. In this paper, we explore embodied communication’s individual and collective functions as a way of seeing students’ learning through embodiment. We analyze data from a mixed-reality (MR) environment: Science through Technology Enhanced Play (STEP) (Danish et al., International Journal of Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning 15:49–87, 2020), using descriptive statistics and interaction analysis to explore the role of gesture and movement in student classroom activities and their pre-and post-interviews. The results reveal that students appear to develop gestures for representing challenging concepts within the classroom and then use these gestures to help clarify their understanding within the interview context. We further explore how students collectively develop these gestures in the classroom, with a focus on their communicative acts, then provide a list of individual and collective functions that are supported by student gestures and embodiment within the STEP MR environment, and discuss the functions of each act. Finally, we illustrate the value of attending to these gestures for educators and designers interested in supporting embodied learning.
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Beyond the Screen: Gestural Perspective-Taking with a Biochemistry Simulation
ABSTRACT Significant research has been conducted on how students’ gestures aid in learning scientific concepts, yet there remains a gap in understanding the impact of gesture-based interactions between students and simulations on their interpretation of visualized scientific phenomena. Addressing this, our paper presents a usability test conducted on a dynamic equilibrium visualization simulation developed for introductory college courses. Through a user study involving 40 participants, we conducted a qualitative evaluation to determine how students interpret gesture-controlled simulations. The findings confirm that students generally interpret visualized scientific concepts effectively and that interacting through gestures enhances their interpretation of the simulations. Additionally, this paper discusses the limitations of the current study and suggests directions for future research.
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- Award ID(s):
- 2202468
- PAR ID:
- 10537142
- Editor(s):
- NA
- Publisher / Repository:
- ACM
- Date Published:
- ISBN:
- 9798400703317
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- 1 to 6
- Subject(s) / Keyword(s):
- Visualization Gesture STEM
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Location:
- Honolulu HI USA
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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- Free Publicly Accessible Full Text
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Accepted Manuscript1.0
- Conference Paper:
- https://doi.org/10.1145/3613905.3650816
