At this year's nationwide teacher training course on astronomy in Heidelberg, the Physics Didactics Working Group presented a workshop on embodied cognition in astronomy teaching.
Around 30 teachers explored the question of how learning succeeds through the interaction of the mind, body and environment. In addition to an introduction to the theoretical foundations of cognitive theory, the workshop focused on numerous practical examples, which the participants tried out with great enthusiasm, from re-enacting astronomical movements to interactive models.
The response was very positive: many of the methods presented are already being used in the classroom, but the theoretical foundation from embodied cognition research offered new perspectives and ideas for teaching practice.
