Research Sandpit

A research sandpit, for those who haven’t been to one, is a facilitated workshop where participants (usually from different disciplines), work in small groups to brainstorm and refine ideas for possible joint research projects.  Usually the sandpit involves the opportunity to win some pump-priming funds.  These funds would then be used for whatever preparatory or pilot activity was necessary to the construction of a full bid for external support. The event should be an informal and enjoyable experience but one that has a worthy and productive outcome.

£10K has been allocated to cover the expenses of the event and the subsequent support for development of any successful project(s)

This sandpit is a one-day workshop, starting with lunch on Wednesday 13^th June and ending with lunch on 14^th June. Dinner will also be provided for those who wish to continue planning conversations. Research sandpits traditionally are organised around a single theme.  Our discussion have suggested the interdisciplinary theme of ‘embodied learning’

This is an orientation to learning that has gained considerable attention recently.  It concerns the manner in which the body – its particular patterns of movement, position, gesture etc. – influence contextual, neural or mental events relating to cognition and learning.

For example:

• Does producing and viewing gestures help people learn?    
• Can physical activity improve executive function?·        
• Does providing haptic feedback improve understanding of forces?·        
• How are judgments about time and distance affected by whether you are moving or not?·        
• Can body illusions help you learn to cope with pain?·       
• How different is it to type or handwrite your essay?·        
• How should technologies be designed to support embodied learning?

These are mere illustrations of questions that might be asked. Evidently, colleagues will think of many others. However, they indicate how the embodied nature of human action deserves close attention for the development of theory and practice around the topic of learning.

The sandpit event will present this topic more fully to colleagues from a wide range of disciplines (along with a brief review of the variety of projects that it might reasonably encompass). We believe that the topic provides deep theoretical interest but also is a vehicle for a wide range of projects with considerable practical potential – e.g., in designing new forms of instruction, curriculum or learning technologies.

Participants in the sandpit will have the opportunity to win funds to support a pilot project which could support the development of a grant proposal.

The sandpit will be held in the LSRI labs, which are well equipped with useful technologies for coordinating such meetings, including involving participants not present on site. The day will involve a variety of facilitated activities leading to the development of group project proposals. Towards the end of the sandpit period, projects would be formally pitched through presentations. A group of independent judges will select the winner(s).

We expect that this theme will attract interest from colleagues in Psychology (particularly within areas of neuroscience and cognition), Education (spatial navigation, gesture and movement within teaching, physical activity and learning), Computer Science and Human Factors, Linguistics, Philosophy, Geography (e.g., location and sensor based technologies), and beyond…