Sensing Nepal in a Peer Student Created Multi-sensory Environment
Sthapit, Erose; Kansakar, Sajina (2010)
Sthapit, Erose
Kansakar, Sajina
Laurea-ammattikorkeakoulu
2010
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2010100713509
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2010100713509
Tiivistelmä
The idea that learning experienced through all the senses is helpful in reinforcing memory has a long history in pedagogy. From the earliest teaching guides, educators have embraced a range of multi-sensory techniques in order to make learning richer and more motivating for learners. The term multisensory is used to refer to any learning activity that combines two or more sensory strategies/ modalities simultaneously to take in or express information. The sensory modalities include visual (sight), auditory (hearing), tactile (touch) and kinesthetic (movement). From a student learning perspective it helps to “facilitate students‟ ability to learn and recall information” by combining explicit instruction and multi-sensory strategies. In practice, considering the five senses, most research in this area has focused on the visual stimulus. However, studies show that harnessing of all senses could yield phenomenal results. In the case of multi-sensory teaching, the collective experience of thousands of practitioners affirms the power of these techniques. Multi-sensory approaches have been particularly valuable in literacy and language learning, for example, in relationships between sound and symbol, word recognition, and the use of tactile methods such as tracing on rough or soft surfaces.
The purpose of this thesis is to examine the effectiveness of student created multi-sensory environment as a learning approach in experiencing another culture. The research topic arose from our experience in creating multi-sensory space as part of internship for the Encounters in Multi-sensory project. The study involves students as both creators and learners. The study was conducted using action research through use of semi-structured questionnaires to collect primary data from 30 students of Laurea University of Applied Sciences, who visited a Nepalese multi-sensory space. The empirical part was executed within Encounters in Multi-sensory Environment project coordinated in Laurea Tikkurila on 5.5.2010.
The scenario when learning about another culture is to visit and experience/understand it on the spot with all senses. The results of the study support our argument that smell, sound, touch, taste and sight must be aroused when learning about another culture as the activation of multiple senses enhances the feeling of authenticity and modeling a space together acti-vates student learning. The overall student visitor experience was perceived as positive. The study showed the use of multi-sensory method as an effective learning approach and in assimilating information provided which isn‟t easily adaptable only by visual or oral communication.
The purpose of this thesis is to examine the effectiveness of student created multi-sensory environment as a learning approach in experiencing another culture. The research topic arose from our experience in creating multi-sensory space as part of internship for the Encounters in Multi-sensory project. The study involves students as both creators and learners. The study was conducted using action research through use of semi-structured questionnaires to collect primary data from 30 students of Laurea University of Applied Sciences, who visited a Nepalese multi-sensory space. The empirical part was executed within Encounters in Multi-sensory Environment project coordinated in Laurea Tikkurila on 5.5.2010.
The scenario when learning about another culture is to visit and experience/understand it on the spot with all senses. The results of the study support our argument that smell, sound, touch, taste and sight must be aroused when learning about another culture as the activation of multiple senses enhances the feeling of authenticity and modeling a space together acti-vates student learning. The overall student visitor experience was perceived as positive. The study showed the use of multi-sensory method as an effective learning approach and in assimilating information provided which isn‟t easily adaptable only by visual or oral communication.