Embodied metaphor: whole-body engagement with a metaphor supports learning of abstract science concepts beyond passive engagement¶
Design · All designs
Evidence · no claims cited
Description¶
The article frames embodied metaphors as a type of active learning especially well-suited to abstract neuroscience topics. While metaphors such as the "lock and key" metaphor for receptor activity are common, the article argues that "whole-body engagement in a learning environment supports and improves learning beyond what is observed through passive engagement with a metaphor" — e.g., acting out opening a lock with a key rather than passively hearing the metaphor. Students and foam projectiles take on roles such as soma, axon hillock, presynaptic axon terminal, post-synaptic cell, and metabotropic and ionotropic receptors.
Design Implications¶
Context¶
Requirements¶
- Students physically enact the metaphor (whole-body engagement) rather than passively hearing it
Constraints¶
- Presented as especially suited to abstract topics that cannot be directly viewed, such as chemical activity at the synapse
Target Learners¶
- university students in STEM and neuroscience classrooms
Learning Goals¶
- understanding abstract science concepts that cannot be directly observed
Claims¶
Related Designs¶
Examples¶
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Key Sources¶
- B. D. M. Hatin. (2020). Introducing students to neural communication: an embodied-learning classroom demonstration. npj Science of Learning 5:18. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41539-020-00077-1
Page metadata
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
type |
design |
id |
embodied-metaphor-whole-body-engagement |
title |
Embodied metaphor: whole-body engagement with a metaphor supports learning of abstract science concepts beyond passive engagement |
description |
The article frames embodied metaphors as a type of active learning especially well-suited to abstract neuroscience topics. |
status |
review |
generated |
by process:settle-candidates on 2026-10-26 |
trust |
unverified — no one has confirmed this page's content |
sources |
1 — b-d-m-hatin-2020 |
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