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Using Embodied Learning Technology to Advance Motor Performance of Children with Special Educational Needs and Motor Impairments

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Data Driven Approaches in Digital Education (EC-TEL 2017)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNISA,volume 10474))

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Abstract

Embodied learning, under the lens of Embodied Cognition theory, emphasizes on the inseparable link between brain, body and the world; it considers that the active human body can alter the function of the brain and therefore the cognitive process. From this perspective, the exploration of learning environments that promote bodily activity in relation to cognitive tasks are gaining the attention of the research community in the recent days. One such case is the use of multimodal, motion-based games mediated by sensors like a Kinect camera to enable learning through active and embodied interaction with learning content. This paper presents findings from an empirical investigation of using embodied touchless interactive games to enhance motor performance for children with learning disabilities and motor impairments. Young children, mainly attending special units within mainstream elementary schools, participated in a five-month intervention. Kinetic analytics, together with teachers’ self-reported observations and interviews, revealed improvements in children’s motor performance, particularly psychomotor ability and psychomotor speed. The paper contributes to the technology-enhanced learning community by providing insights into the use of embodied learning technology in special education.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank all who voluntary participated in this study, especially the teachers, for their active involvement and collaboration, and the children for their hard work and engagement. We also thank Kinems and Microsoft Cyprus for providing the learning games and Kinect cameras respectively, free of charge.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cyprus Interaction Lab, Cyprus University of Technology, 3075, Limassol, Cyprus

    Panagiotis Kosmas & Andri Ioannou

  2. University of Piraeus, Athens, Greece

    Symeon Retalis

Authors
  1. Panagiotis Kosmas
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  2. Andri Ioannou
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  3. Symeon Retalis
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Panagiotis Kosmas .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Jean Moulin Lyon 3 University, Lyon, France

    Élise Lavoué

  2. German Institute for International Educational Research, Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany

    Hendrik Drachsler

  3. KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium

    Katrien Verbert

  4. University of Toulouse, Toulouse, France

    Julien Broisin

  5. Pontificia Universidad, Santiago de Chile, Chile

    Mar Pérez-Sanagustín

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Kosmas, P., Ioannou, A., Retalis, S. (2017). Using Embodied Learning Technology to Advance Motor Performance of Children with Special Educational Needs and Motor Impairments. In: Lavoué, É., Drachsler, H., Verbert, K., Broisin, J., Pérez-Sanagustín, M. (eds) Data Driven Approaches in Digital Education. EC-TEL 2017. Lecture Notes in Computer Science(), vol 10474. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-66610-5_9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-66610-5_9

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-66609-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-66610-5

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

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