#328: Many Ways of “Being” a Beaver: Students’ Perceptions of Technology-Enhanced and Dramatized Embodiment in Science

There are many ways of embodying a beaver, including through mixed-reality technology and through acting in theatrical skits. In this study, fifth grade students engaged in both to learn about wetland ecosystems. We conducted a thematic analysis of student interviews to understand their perceptions of each kind of embodied activity. We present four themes from their reflections: perspective taking, agency, learning, and the socioemotional experience, and discuss how these perceptions can inform embodied science education.