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Kinesthetic learning online?

Tina writes – Kinesthetic Learners: Why Old Media Should Never Die:

…..Many classrooms, however, don’t offer this type of kinesthetic learning. The hands-on learner is left to fend for themselves and more often than not the only physical interaction they get is with the learning material itself.

You’ve seen them before. Sometimes, it’s a student whose fingers trace the words as they read them. Or the highlighter: the student who makes a colored mosaic of their text as they try to physically interact with the material. Even note-taking is a kinesthetic activity. In a variety of subtle ways, the kinesthetic learner can physically interact with their learning material.

Now, imagine these same students trying to physically interact with ‘new’ media. The method of consuming learning material is physically no different than consuming entertainment material. Your fingers and eyes make the same motions, there is no easy way to physically differentiate material, much less to physically interact with it.

Obviously, there are ways that new media can be superior. Video offers the best chance to reach all learning types. For example, a step-by-step video of a science experiment caters to visual and auditory senses while leaving the hands free to actually perform the experiment.

But for straight information consumption, new media leaves the kinesthetic learner out in the cold.

Videos. Like JoVE and SciVee.tv?

What about joysticks and Wii?


  1. #1 mark (the ideophone)
    December 9, 2008

    Or what about digital annotation and notetaking tools like Zotero and mindmapping apps? Mouse movements are kinesthetic too, and with highlighting and arranging you get at least some of this visual-spatial patterning back.

  2. #2 Coturnix
    December 9, 2008

    Excellent point! Everything where you can move big chunks of stuff around the screen with the mouse should be helpful.

  3. #3 Arikia
    December 9, 2008

    I disagree with the point that straight info consumption on the web is not as captivating for kinesthetic learners. I think I am a bit of one (compulsive note-taking, highlighting, list-making, color-coding, etc…), but I adore my online info. Then again, I am typing a comment right now…

  4. #4 Barn Owl
    December 9, 2008

    I’m not sure that digital annotation, notetaking, and highlighting constitute true kinesthetic learning. I’m certainly no expert – perhaps someone knowledgeable about cognitive psychology (e.g. Dave Munger) could help. I’ve taken the Visual-Aural-Read/Write-Kinesthetic questionnaire at the VARK learning website, and the “Kinesthetic” answers don’t include notetaking; I would classify it as “Read/Write” learning. The questionnaire is online at www DOT vark-learn DOT com.

    I’m biased towards medical and dental education programs, both of which can be very kinesthetic (especially dental). Cadaver dissection in gross anatomy is a kinesthetic learning approach, and I’ve written a little on my blog about why it should not be eliminated from the curriculum.

  5. #5 llewelly
    December 9, 2008

    Uh, how is a keyboard not ‘kinesthetic’?

  6. #6 Barn Owl
    December 10, 2008

    My definition of kinesthetic learning must be waaaayyy off then, since AFAIK, using a keyboard is kinesthetic only for learning to type.

  7. #7 Coturnix
    December 23, 2008

    Ooops, the first link is broken so here it is again.

  8. #8 Online Degree Program
    January 20, 2009


    E-learning classes are popular on traditional college campuses, often filling up before the on-campus versions of the same class.Online degree programs are designed to work best for students who are self-starters, who are disciplined in their studies and who do not need the stimulation of a classroom setting.

