PhD defence by Fridtjof Ronge Gjengset

Translating embodied cognition perspectives to STEM education

Assessment Committee:
Professor Henriette Tolstrup Holmegaard, Institut for Naturfagenes Didaktik, University of Copenhagen (Chairperson)
Senior Lecturer Antti Lehtinen, University of Jyväskylä
Professor Laura Colucci-Gray, University of Edinburgh

Supervisor(s):
Associate Professor Jesper Bruun

Assistant Professor Magdalena Kersting

Department:
Department of Science Education

Place:
The defence is conducted as a hybrid defence.

To attend the defence in person:
Universitetsparken 1 - Datalogisk Institut, Room: Store UP1 - 5-1-02, Universitetsparken 1, 2100, Copenhagen

To attend the defence online:
Please follow the link to attend the defence online: https://ucph-ku.zoom.us/my/gjengset 
MeetingID, if relevant: 437 353 1784

Email address to gain access to the thesis: frg@ind.ku.dk 
You will either receive a copy of the thesis or be informed where you can read a physical copy.

Short description of the thesis:

Embodied cognition is based on the idea that the body and environment play a central role in how we learn and think. Within STEM education, this has inspired teaching approaches that emphasise movement, interaction, and sensory experiences rather than traditional lectures. Such approaches often prove more engaging and effective, which has popularized embodied cognition in STEM education. In my work, I have reviewed a decade of research on embodied cognition in STEM education to map out this emerging field and worked with STEM teachers to bring this theory into practice.  In my thesis, I detail how embodied cognition is currently being used in STEM education and how it can be a beneficial addition to STEM teacher education.