Naked Science Forum

Life Sciences => Physiology & Medicine => Topic started by: Make it Lady on 22/07/2010 19:56:10

Title: Does rhythm help people to learn?
Post by: Make it Lady on 22/07/2010 19:56:10

Robot teachers are being developed by scientists and inventors around the world. One of the things they have programmed the computers to do is to mimic the movements of the children they are teaching. If the child is bobbing up and down so does the robot in the same rhythm as the child. They have noticed that this is the most important thing in engaging the child. Looking like a human actually freaks kids out!
So are these social mirroring movements that important when it comes to teaching and learning and could a human teacher improve their engagements by doing the same?

Title: Does rhythm help people to learn?
Post by: JnA on 22/07/2010 23:31:20

Mirroring is an old technique (as I am sure you are aware) but perhaps the lack of facial subtleties needs to be compensated?

Title: Does rhythm help people to learn?
Post by: Make it Lady on 22/07/2010 23:35:17

When they used a screen face it did not cause increased engagement. Also if you are a teacher wearing a Bhurka, would having little facial contact obstruct learning or could mirroring compensate, as you say. The Bhurka thing is a big debate issue in the UK at the moment.