Developing a Pedagogical Framework for Designing a Multisensory Serious Gaming Environment

The importance of multisensory interaction for learning has increased with improved understanding of children’s sensory development, and a flourishing interest in embodied cognition. The potential to foster new forms of multisensory interaction through various sensor, mobile and haptic technologies is promising in providing new ways for young children to engage with key mathematical concepts. However, designing effective learning environments for real world classrooms is challenging, and requires a pedagogically, rather than technologically, driven approach to design. This paper describes initial work underpinning the development of a pedagogical framework, intended to inform the design of a multisensory serious gaming environment. It identifies the theoretical basis of the framework, illustrates how this informs teaching strategies, and outlines key technology research driven perspectives and considerations important for informing design. An initial table mapping mathematical concepts to design, a framework of considerations for design, and a process model of how the framework will continue to be developed across the design process are provided

Informing the design of a multisensory learning environment for elementary mathematics learning

It is well known that primary school children may face difficulties in acquiring mathematical competence, possibly because teaching is generally based on formal lessons with little opportunity to exploit more multisensory-based activities within the classroom. To overcome such difficulties, we report here the exemplary design of a novel multisensory learning environment for teaching mathematical concepts based on meaningful inputs from elementary school teachers. First, we developed and administered a questionnaire to 101 teachers asking them to rate based on their experience the learning difficulty for specific arithmetical and geometrical concepts encountered by elementary school children. Additionally, the questionnaire investigated the feasibility to use multisensory information to teach mathematical concepts. Results show that challenging concepts differ depending on children school level, thus providing a guidance to improve teaching strategies and the design of new and emerging learning technologies accordingly. Second, we obtained specific and practical design inputs with workshops involving elementary school teachers and children. Altogether, these findings are used to inform the design of emerging multimodal technological applications, that take advantage not only of vision but also of other sensory modalities. In the present work, we describe in detail one exemplary multisensory environment design based on the questionnaire results and design ideas from the workshops: the Space Shapes game, which exploits visual and haptic/proprioceptive sensory information to support mental rotation, 2D–3D transformation and percentages. Corroborating research evidence in neuroscience and pedagogy, our work presents a functional approach to develop novel multimodal user interfaces to improve education in the classroom

The effects of using the GoMath program on teaching computation skills for students with learning disabilities

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects on teaching math computation skills to students with learning disabilities (LD) using the GoMath program and to examine the teachers’ and students’ satisfaction with this program in their teaching and learning. Four, 3rd and 4th graders with LD were taught by one special education teacher in a resource room and participated in learning computation skills for 60 minutes, 5 days per week for 12 weeks, using the Go Math program. A multiple baseline research design with A B phases across students was used to evaluate their performance. The findings indicated that all of the participants increased their addition, subtraction and multiplication computation scores using the GoMath program, and the teachers and students were generally satisfied with the program and its supplemental materials. The results of this study support the use of the GoMath program providing explicit instruction with a multisensory approach to teach math computation skills to students with LD

The Effectiveness of Using Multisensory Approach in Enhancing Achievement and Retention of English Vocabulary Amongst Intermediate Female Students with EFL Learning Disabilities

The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of using multisensory approach in enhancing the achievement and retention of English language vocabulary amongst intermediate stage female students with EFL learning disabilities. A quasi-experimental model was adopted as an experimental methodology where a standardized intelligence test (R.Cattel IQ scale) and a researcher –prepared vocabulary achievement test were used as research tools. The subjects (N = 116) were selected from two intermediate schools in Taif. A criterion was applied to select students with learning disabilities. The sample was divided randomly into two groups: control and experimental. Both groups were pre-tested to assure that they were equivalent. The control group (N=10) were taught through traditional method, while the experimental group(N=12) were taught through multisensory approach during the first term of the school year(1435-1436H). The experiment lasted for six weeks, then the vocabulary achievement was applied.  One month later, the VAT delayed test was applied. In order to process the results of the study groups statistically, the researcher used the computerized program: Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Mann-Whitney U Test, normal distribution Z, Wilcoxon signed ranks test and effect size of Wilcoxon were used in this study. Results revealed that multisensory approach had a positive effect on vocabulary achievement and retention of the students with learning disability. Keywords: Multisensory Approach, EFL, Learning Disabilities, English Vocabulary, KSA. DOI: 10.7176/JEP/11-9-17 Publication date:March 31st 202

Development and Validation of Multi-Modality Instructional Model

Development of models of teaching is the recent innovation in teaching. An important purpose of discussing models of teaching is to assist the teacher to have a wide range of approaches for creating a proper interactive environment for learning. An intelligent use of these approaches enables the teacher to adopt him to the learning needs of the students. A number of educationist and psychologists have proposed model approach to teaching. A model of teaching consists of guidelines for designing educational activities and environments. Model of teaching is a plan that can also be utilized to shape courses of studies, to design instructional material and to guide instruction. Joyce and Weil, (1972) [19] explained Teaching of model is a pattern or plan, which can be a curriculum or courses to select instructional materials and to guide a teachers actions. Educators and psychologist have design several types of teaching models which provides suitable guidelines to the teachers for modifying the behaviour of the learners. As a matter of facts some sorts of models of teaching have been existence since times immemorial. In simple language a models of teaching may be defined as a blueprint designed in advance for providing necessary structure and direction to the teacher for realizing the stipulated objectives. After the investigator completed the determination of the steps the model was presented to the panel of experts. The panel of experts scrutinized and validated the steps of the model and gave their opinion about the fitness of the model for application. They further commented to conduct a pilot study with the application of the model From the pilot try out of the model it was found to be effective for application in classroom teaching. &nbsp

Multisensory Perception and Learning: Linking Pedagogy, Psychophysics, and Human–Computer Interaction

In this review, we discuss how specific sensory channels can mediate the learning of properties of the environment. In recent years, schools have increasingly been using multisensory technology for teaching. However, it still needs to be sufficiently grounded in neuroscientific and pedagogical evidence. Researchers have recently renewed understanding around the role of communication between sensory modalities during development. In the current review, we outline four principles that will aid technological development based on theoretical models of multisensory development and embodiment to foster in-depth, perceptual, and conceptual learning of mathematics. We also discuss how a multidisciplinary approach offers a unique contribution to development of new practical solutions for learning in school. Scientists, engineers, and pedagogical experts offer their interdisciplinary points of view on this topic. At the end of the review, we present our results, showing that one can use multiple sensory inputs and sensorimotor associations in multisensory technology to improve the discrimination of angles, but also possibly for educational purposes. Finally, we present an application, the ‘RobotAngle’ developed for primary (i.e., elementary) school children, which uses sounds and body movements to learn about angles

Innovating Pedagogy 2020: Open University Innovation Report 8

This series of reports explores new forms of teaching, learning and assessment for an interactive world, to guide teachers and policy makers in productive innovation. This eighth report, produced by The Open University in collaboration with the National Institute for Digital Learning (NIDL) in Ireland, describes ten innovations that have the potential to influence education in the coming years

Multisensory learning in adaptive interactive systems

The main purpose of my work is to investigate multisensory perceptual learning and sensory integration in the design and development of adaptive user interfaces for educational purposes. To this aim, starting from renewed understanding from neuroscience and cognitive science on multisensory perceptual learning and sensory integration, I developed a theoretical computational model for designing multimodal learning technologies that take into account these results. Main theoretical foundations of my research are multisensory perceptual learning theories and the research on sensory processing and integration, embodied cognition theories, computational models of non-verbal and emotion communication in full-body movement, and human-computer interaction models. Finally, a computational model was applied in two case studies, based on two EU ICT-H2020 Projects, "weDRAW" and "TELMI", on which I worked during the PhD