IN-PERSON MADRID FOCUS ON PEDAGOGY. SECTION B

Abstract

Uncertainty has become a widespread psychological challenge among university students,profoundly influencing their career choices, emotional well-being, and cognitive clarity. Recent research highlights a strong link between intolerance of uncertainty and academic burnout, alongside diminished self-regulation in this group. Self-compassion emerges as a protective factor. Students with higher self-compassion may better withstand uncertainty without falling into fatigue or burnout (Frontiers in Public Health 2024). This paper introduces a pedagogical framework centered on experiential learning, using kinetic toy design as a method of inquiry and a form of emotional expression. The framework specifically aims to develop self-compassion among students by addressing prevalent uncertainties. It guides them through a structured process that moves from introspection to mechanical articulation, enabling them to observe, interpret, and manipulate their internal states while fostering emotional resilience and self-compassion. Delivered as an intensive two-week course with 45 participants, the curriculum is organized into a four-act structure called “Emotion to Motion.” Act 1: Research employs tools such as Plutchik’s emotion chart to dissect hidden anxieties and reveal the underlying emotions. Act 2: Symbolization transforms abstract feelings into symbolic geometries and sketches. Act 3: Materialization brings these symbols into physical mock-ups, connecting abstract concepts to tangible forms. Act 4: Creation culminates in the final objects, where the toy’s kinetic mechanics metaphorically represent emotional balance and self-compassion. This paper traces students’ journey from initial resistance to self-awareness, examining how striving for emotional equilibrium helps them identify and overcome restrictive thought patterns. Ultimately, this approach reimagines education through Multiple Lenses of Knowing and Becoming.