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2.5 MULTI-SENSORY LEARNING THROUGH ARTS 27
all educational fields. Through realistic animations, attractive musical sound,
and vivid colours, abstract concepts are brought to life. In order to increase their
impact, some of the software tools implement the so-called user-in-the-loop
feature (Wong, Bigras, & Cervera, 2005). Special multimedia applications and
computer games can increase students’ motivation to learn and often lead to the
better understanding of the studied topics (Philpot, Hall, Hubing, & Flori, 2005).
The experimental results of several researchers in virtual reality also indicate
that converting data and abstract concepts into mutually reinforcing multi-senso¬
ry representations enhances students’ understanding of scientific models (Loftin,
Brooks, & Dede, 1998). This increasing realization of the cognitive importance
of all of our senses is finding expression in several technologies. For example,
with data sonification technologies, tables of numbers can be represented as
sounds, revealing patterns in those data by changes in pitch and volume (the
“music” produced would be an abstract but meaningful symphony of sound).
In addition, there are companies which produce interfaces that convert digital
data into different smells. A common characteristic of these applications is that
they represent information that we usually do not perceive as having a sensory
form (Staley, 2006).
More specifically, research has indicated that auditory aids can enhance
the teaching process of the fractions (connecting fractions with musical notes)
(Rawson, 1992). This approach to teaching fractions can be applied to other areas
such as grammar. Since grammar is systematic in the same way that music is,
teachers can work with students to understand “the melody line” of the sen¬
tences. Campbell (2000) discusses visual imaging in relation to spatial-temporal
reasoning for mathematics and science concepts. His research on the “Mozart
Effect” also serves as an example of the interconnectedness of the visual, audi¬
tory, and reasoning processes that occur within the human brain.
The methods we investigated during our first two studies explore in a har¬
monic way the visual, auditory, and kinaesthetic senses of the students. It helps
them to imagine the studied abstract concepts and processes. In line with the
above examples, the involved software tools use “structure sonification” or
“recursive procedure/function sonification” to create “the melody line” of algo¬
rithms (Thompson, 2003). Students are also invited “to drum/type in the rhythm
patterns of the loop skeletons of the algorithms” (using the keyboard) or “to play
so-called recursive scenarios”.
2.5 Multi-sensory learning through arts
Our third method takes additional multi-sensory elements into the pro¬
gramming education through arts (dance, music, rhythm, theatrical role-playing)
too. Combining these art forms, teachers could create a multi-sensory learning