IN-PERSON: Learning. Life. Work

Abstract

Informal learning sites such as museums, compared to traditional classrooms, uniquely afford the opportunities of embodied learning, which emphasizes the use of the human body in the learning process. Designers are being challenged to design with digital technologies to enhance informal learning by considering more embodied learning possibilities. By integrating digital technologies, informal learning environments that allow for multisensory experience and embodied interaction can enhance participants’ learning and engagement. However, while a lot of educational games and simulations have considered bodily and sensory forms of engagement, there is still a black box of decision-making in the design process for technology-enhanced embodied learning experiences. Designers need better tools and methods to help them leverage the design elements that lead to a high level of embodiment with the potential to enhance learning. Existing design frameworks for embodied learning deal with taxonomies or describe the design elements and explain their relationships. This research, on the other hand, presents a process-oriented framework with a set of principles for designing embodied learning experience. This framework has been influenced by design considerations from other frameworks and further developed through our hands-on exploration of a design project, Seasons. This research through design approach helped us to identify design challenges and outline the problem-solving process. To further test this framework, we applied it on another design project, Dinosaurs. We describe how this framework can help in the generation and specification of design ideas for embodied and interactive learning experiences. By disseminating this framework and its associated principles, we aim to empower practitioners, such as designers and educators, to create effective and enriching informal learning environments that leverage the potential of digital technologies through embodied learning.