Embodied Learning and Gaming

University students are expected to master highly abstract ideas presented as symbolic formulae. To scientists and mathematicians, these symbols stand for powerful ideas. For many students, however, the inability to “see” these ideas leads to learning difficulties and a loss of interest. This could be avoided if students could recall their everyday, embodied know-how to explore the ideas taught in the classroom.

This project aims to tackle this educational and technological challenge, and advance the use of embodied cognition and gamification to create innovative learning technologies. The proliferation of technologies that enable embodied interaction means that now is the time to make this vision a reality. Imagine students touching virtual molecules and actually feeling the differential haptics of their actions. With embodied-interaction technologies, we believe that the challenging, abstract ideas of sciences and mathematics can become more accessible, intuitive, and even more enjoyable.