Welcome to the ‘Move, Focus, Learn: Mindful Movement for Learning’ course, which was developed with Lisa Clughen, Senior Lecturer in Spanish, and Trained Embodiment Coach and Mindful Movement Facilitator, Nottingham Trent University, UK and Martha Eddy, Honorary Professor in the Biobehavioral Sciences Department at Columbia University’s Teachers College, and Founding Director of the Center for Embodied Learning (CEL), USA.
Click here to view the video transcript
Hello, I’m Martha Eddy. I’m the founding director of the Center for Embodied Learning, also known as the CEL. Also, an honorary professor for Columbia University’s Teachers College in the Biobehavioral Sciences Department, from which I graduated with a doctorate in 1998. I also studied applied physiology there.
The Center for Embodied Learning includes the Center for Kinesthetic Education, which is where we’ve done years of work in the public and independent schools in New York City and around the world. It also houses the Dynamic Embodiment Somatic Movement Therapy professional certification, which uses movement, touch, and dialogue to enhance health as well as overall well-being. And we also provide somatic movement education programs for the public on helping your shoulders feel better, or finding relaxation for the eyes, or expressive movement in a dance, easygoing, fun class.
Hello, everybody. I’m Lisa Clughen, and I’m a senior lecturer in Spanish at Nottingham Trent University in the UK. I’ve worked in embodiment research for over 30 years now, and the main point I wish to convey is that our bodies are a wonderful support for learning and teaching processes. I’m currently engaging in sabbatical research in two aspects of embodiment, and I’d love your participation if that’s possible. My first project is on mindful movement and other mind-body practices in learning and teaching. And the second project is on positive emotions for learning and teaching in higher education. And the purpose of that project is that we spread together a little bit of happiness across higher education.
In this course, we’ll talk about mindful movement, also known as somatic movement, and explain some of the reasons why it’s so beneficial for learning. Mindful practices are known to have physical, cognitive, and psychological benefits. The movement we present in this course is an antidote to sedentary behaviors in higher education. It can help us to regulate our attention, sharpen our focus, boost our memory, and even make us feel better. We’ll begin by understanding what mindful movement is, and then we’ll feel the benefits firsthand with Dr. Martha Eddy’s dynamic embodiment movement learning matrix. And finally, we’ll explore some different ways to add mindful movement into your curriculum for better learning.
Mindful movement, also known as somatic movement, is movement performed with intention – and it has numerous benefits for both learning and teaching. Engaging in mindful movement can help regulate attention, focus, and intent; enhance information processing and working memory; support knowledge retrieval; and foster creativity by promoting mental flexibility. It also generates joy, supports positive mental health, and enhances overall well-being.
Given these benefits, it’s no surprise that the World Health Organisation (WHO, 2020) has encouraged educators to integrate movement – including mindful movement – into learning environments.
This course is designed to introduce educators to the concept of mindful movement and explore the benefits of embedding these practices into learning spaces. Throughout the course, you’ll find videos featuring small breathing and mindful movement activities. We encourage you to take part in these exercises – not just for your own well-being, but also to consider how you might incorporate them into your own teaching or facilitation practice.
“Mindful practices are known to have physical, cognitive, and psychological benefits. It can help us to regulate our attention, sharpen our focus, boost our memory, and even make us feel better.“
“Movement keeps us healthy, sharpens our neural connections, supports staying fit in mind and body well into our elder years, all contributing to enhanced memory and the retrieval of stories, facts, and emotions.”
Get Involved And Share Your Learning
- Share your perspective. Throughout this course, you will see discussion prompts at the end of each lesson inviting you to share your thoughts and experience. We encourage you to respond to these discussion questions and read those of other educators to benefit from theirs. When you see a comment you agree with or find helpful, hit the ‘Like’ button to help other educators find it. You can also reply to any comments from other members that you find interesting.
- Ask a question. You can ask questions of experts and other educators in the discussion threads in courses.
- Pick up your course badges. To earn your Course Completion Badges make sure you mark all lessons as ‘Mark Complete’ once you have completed a lesson. At the end of the course, click ‘Mark Complete’ and you will be asked a few multiple-choice questions to earn a Course Completion badge. Once you’ve had a chance to apply your learning, come back to complete an Impact Badges by applying what you have learned in the courses and answering a short survey.
If you have any questions or issues, please email us at [email protected].
Discussions
What does mindful movement mean to you?
Please share your thoughts and questions in the comments section below.