Examining the Effects of Embodied Interaction Modalities on Students' Retention Skills in a Real Classroom Context

Abstract

Embodied cognition theory denotes that knowledge is incorporated into the body's sensorimotor system, which facilitates learning and understanding abstract concepts. In this context, several interaction modalities have been introduced to design learning experiences that promote multisensory processing. This study examined the impacts of the type of embodied interaction modality on learning gains in a real classroom context. The researchers designed learning interfaces involving different interaction modalities including tablet application, tangible user interface, motion-based technology, and multimodal interaction. Thirty-six primary school students (aged 7 to 9) were assigned to four groups to learn the basics of the human body anatomy. The study adopted an immediate and a 20-day delayed post-test to measure students' knowledge retention. Regardless of interaction modality type, participants showed significant immediate learning gains. However, participants in the multimodal embodiment conditions performed better on the delayed post-test. The findings suggested that multimodal embodied interaction, merging between body movements and tangible user interfaces, may lead to better knowledge retention. The process of performing body movements and physical interaction offered an alternative and a complementary encoding strategy for understanding and memorizing the learning concepts.