Collaborative Creation of Embodied Geometry Proofs for a Motion Capture Game

• In Event: Multiple Perspectives on the Learning and Teaching of Geometry

Abstract

Recent research suggests that not only do our thoughts influence our actions, but performing actions can give us novel ideas. In the present study, we examined students’ embodied problem-posing in geometry. Student creation of problem tasks was launched by a Kinect-based video game where learners are directed to perform arm motions, and then are given conjectures to prove related to those motions. After playing the game, students created their own motions to go along with new conjectures. Analyses showed that student-created motions sometimes modeled the relationships in the conjecture itself, and other times modeled the conjecture’s proof. In addition, students capture ideas in the same conjectures in very different ways through their designed motions. Implications for embodied learning are discussed.

Authors

• Candace A. Walkington, Southern Methodist University

• Mitchell J. Nathan, University of Wisconsin - Madison

• Kasi Holcomb-Webb

• Min Wang, Southern Methodist University

• Oh Hoon Kwon, University of Wisconsin - Madison