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Rosie Holmes, Learning Support Coordinator at UCA Farnham, explains how she walks with her students to help them achieve a deeper level of learning and reflection.
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Rosie’s recent research ‘Walking towards a more embodied pedagogy’ explores the benefits of incorporating the body and walking into teaching and learning practices in order to enable a much deeper level of learning, reflection and creativity. The historical background to walking and thinking indicates that walking has long been a highly valued activity for many philosphers, writers and artists.
More recent research clearly confirms that the benefits of walking include richer dialogue, a more reflective form of attention which supports the generation of ideas, reduced anxiety and a place for absorbing and making creative connections in our learning.
Online References:
- Amyot, Yves. (2010) The Techno Walker’. In Mullen, Cathy Jean & Rahn, Janice (Eds) Viewfinding: Perspectives on New Media Curriculum in the Arts. At: https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=_F3FyK-rRTMC&pg=PA107&lpg=PA107&dq=Amyot+Yves+the+techno+walker&source=bl&ots=YVlnMZU4vP&sig=YRZJVyYdTK2uOEYVLbAGL9uup_4&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjD45akyvzWAhXF1BoKHT64A0IQ6AEIKDAB –
- Balter, Olle., Hedin, Bjorn., & Tobiasson, Helena. (2015) Walking With Seminars. In Scholarship of Teaching and Learning 2015 At: http://kth.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:819447/FULLTEXT01.pdf (Accessed on 29.2.15)
- Bloomfield, Dr. Dan. (2016) The Evidence Base for a Dose of Nature. At: http://www.wenp.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Dan-Bloomfield-A-dose-of-nature.pdf (Accessed on 28.6.17)
- Oppezzo, Marily., & Schwartz, Daniel L. (2014) Give Your Ideas Some Legs: The Positive Effect of Walking on Creative Thinking. At: https://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/releases/xlm-a0036577.pdf (Accessed on 19.10.17)
About Rosie:
Rosie is one of the team of Learning Support Coordinators working on UCA’s 2-year Inclusivity Project, and leading the project strand concerned with wellbeing and mental health. She has a professional background of 15 years experience of working in arts education, both in Learning Support (as a Learning Mentor and Learning Support Assistant) and also as a freelance Community Artist teaching courses in lens based media. Rosie is a fellow of the HEA and is currently involved in research that explores embodied pedagogy, in particular through the support of walking and mindfulness practices.
