29Mon
Coordinator: Dean's Office
Embodied Learning of Mathematics through Interactive Technologies: A Conceptual Blending Approach for Design and Analysis
From the Montessori method to classroom manipulatives, mathematics teachers have been using many body-based interactions to advance student learning. Until recently, this way of learning was considered limited to primary-level concepts (such as counting, fractions, early notions of geometry, and area). However, recent research has augmented this body-based learning approach, using embodied interactions on digital platforms. Such systems have been shown to improve the learning of more abstract mathematical concepts (such as equations, vectors, and algebra). In parallel, many recent studies have argued that actions and gestures play an important role in mathematics learning. However, it is currently unclear how – and why – such body-based interactions support the learning of abstract mathematical concepts. I propose to explore these how/why questions in my thesis, by designing and testing embodied interaction technologies that seek to advance the learning of abstract mathematical concepts (such as integer operations, rate of change, and slope). These systems will be designed and analyzed using the framework of conceptual blending (CB), drawn from cognitive science and embodied mathematics theory. Based on these studies and related analysis, I seek to develop CB as a general framework for developing teaching interventions that help students learn mathematical concepts that are considered to be difficult.
29Mon
Coordinator: Dean's Office