Carnegie Mellon Students To Develop Embodied Learning Scenarios
This
year, students at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU)
in Pittsburgh will help SMALLab
Learning develop new embodied learning scenarios for students in elementary and middle schools.
Embodied
learning involves motion-capture technology tracking students' 3D
movements as
they learn subjects while up on their feet. SMALLab
(situated
multimedia art learning lab) creates a space with a projected computer
display
that students can enter and move around on. It is engendered by
concepts that
blend human computer interaction with learning sciences, with the
understanding
that students learn more effectively when lessons are combined with
bodily
experiences.
For
example, students studying a physics concept like velocity can hear
sounds of
their actions getting faster, and they can feel the weight of objects
in their
hands as they interact in real physical space.
When
studying the chemical concept of titration, students can use a "virtual
flask"
projected onto the floor. They can "grab" molecules from the sidelines
and
insert them into the flask, leading to a discussion about how molecules
react.
College
students at Carnegie
Mellon's
Entertainment Technology Center will use courseware
development tools developed
by SMALLab, with support and mentoring from representatives from the company
founded
by Arizona State University researchers five years ago.
"We
have seen first-hand how powerful SMALLab
can be as an environment for K-12 classroom learning," said CMU
Entertainment
Technology Center Director Drew Davidson.
The
Carnegie Mellon students will experiment
with their projects with elementary and middle school classes at eight
school
districts around the Pittsburgh area.
"The
Entertainment Technology Center students
are among the brightest anywhere and we're eager to see what they
create," said
SMALLab Learning CEO David Birchfield. "When releasing our developer
tools, our
goal was to improve student outcomes by engaging the broader community.
It's
exciting to see this vision come to fruition."
About the Author
Michael Hart is a Los Angeles-based freelance writer and the former executive editor of THE Journal.