Abstract
In the ever-changing landscape of technology, young generations navigate the complexities of a technological world, it is imperative that we, the educators, understand the conditions that foster enriched learning environments that are truly diverse, equitable, and inclusive. As new technologies emerge, like MixReality, the Metaverse, and AI, we need to reshape the educational paradigm. Despite innovations and efforts to embrace different ways of thinking and creating, the Industrial Revolution model still stands as the norm. There is a pressing need for a paradigm shift, particularly in the realm of diversity, equity, and inclusion, where neurodiverse learners often find themselves marginalized in traditional learning spaces. To contest the status quo, my project, Osmotic Sensoria, is a pop-up installation that explores ways to naturally, and organically, stimulate brain learning systems—neurodivergent and neurotypicals alike—through an immersive experience where multiple participants engage in guided play, kinetic learning, and multisensory stimulation (oral narrative, visual projections, and other) to enhance cognitive flexibility and creative thinking. Grounded in principles of human-centered design and informed by research in educational models and cognitive neuroscience, Osmotic Sensoria serves as a design-led research artifact—a living laboratory—that collects people’s group learning experience to open discourse about the future of education as it relates to neurodiversity within a DEI model.
Presenters
Gigi PoloPart-Time Associate Teaching Professor, Parsons, School of Design. First Year Program, The New School University, New York, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Neurodivergence, DEI, Kinetic Learning, Play, Human-centered, Design-led, Neuroscience, Technologies
