Active Learning In Virtual Environment/Kinesthetic Learning

Activity: #in-class/short-term, #individual-work, #needs-preparation

Outline

Learning method in which learning takes place by the students carrying out physical activities, rather than listening to a lecture or watching demonstrations. A kinesthetic learning method requires that you manipulate or touch material to learn. Kinesthetic techniques are used in combination with visual or auditory study techniques, producing multi-sensory learning. Important note is that if you move your body while studying and reviewing, you will find you also need to move your body during a test to aid recall. Keep this in mind when choosing the type of movement to use.

Kinesthetic Learning Illustration

Activity arrangement

• Plan a practise that requires moving for example to different spots in the classroom where groups need to go once they finish exercise on spot 1 and then move on to spot 2.
• Different tasks on every spot but make sure that there is movement in the classroom.
• Onces all spots are covered by all the student groups end the exercise.
• Ask the students what they learned and if it was easier for them to concentrate on once they didn’t have to be still the whole class.

Pointers

• Learning through their bodies and their sense of touch.
• Learning through fine motor movements rather than whole body movement.
• Develops coordinated and have an excellent sense of their body in space and of body timing.

How to use this method in online class?

This method is also possible to perform in an online environment. There are a few ways to do so, for example send students on virtual field trips where Because kinesthetic learners enjoy exploration and immersion, virtual field trips are a great option for helping them engage new topics (Cordiner, n.d.; Kato, 2017). You can either send students to websites that have already put together field trips, or assign students to create their own field trip by requiring them to virtually visit several websites or physically visit local sites and take videos or pictures. Kinesthetic learners retain information best when they are able to associate a movement with it (Major, 2016). Thus, encourage students to take notes in a way that makes sense to them. Remind kinesthetic learners to draw sketches or diagrams of what they’re learning, or to stand up and physically act out a concept if they can.