The just-right learning zone through wearables

Expert learning through mobile-assisted emotional, social, and contextual awareness

There are multiple internal and external systems at play in the learning process, and many theories (and debates) as to the interplay of those systems. But one thing we can agree on is that learning is an emotional endeavor.

We have all experienced the rush of mastering something new, as well as the ups and downs along the course to that mastery. Many factors contribute to these highs and lows, and keep us learning more or less optimally. Vygotsky (1980) talks about learning as a social construction which takes place in the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD), the area beyond the students’ skill level which they can only reach with social support. But learning is complex, and there are other factors to consider. We may be direly uninterested in the topic, or developmentally just not ready to learn that skill. We may find a noisy classroom a disagreeable environment in which to learn, have a learning disability, or simply be in a funk because we skipped breakfast. Faced with any of these, a learner might find themselves in a state of emotional distress. This can trigger the amygdala’s flight or fight response, which shuts down learning.

The problem is, learners are not always aware that they’re struggling, at least at the time when it’s happening. What if learners could be metacognitive in these moments of distress, becoming expert learners who are in touch and therefore better at seeking out the right solutions when needed? Enter emerging wearable electrodermal sensor technology, coupled with a well-designed interactive triage and address protocol available via a phone or smartwatch interface.

Wearable sensors

The intensity of our emotional state, or “emotional arousal,” is reflected in our sweat gland activity. Wearable galvanic skin response (GSR), or electrodermal activity sensor technology today can measure people’s subconscious, emotional reactions. Designs for these sensors can be wirelessly internet-connected, and are becoming less obtrusive and fully mobile, so can be easily worn like a Fitbit or a watch by learners.

I have considered a solution to bring about expert learning through mobile-assisted emotional, social, and contextual awareness. Here is the learning experience flow diagram:

This is but one scenario in which emerging mobile technology and design can bring about feasible solutions to significantly improve the learning experience.

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References:

Barrett, L. F. (2017). How emotions are made: The secret life of the brain. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Hedman, E. B. (2014). Thick psychophysiology for empathic design (Doctoral dissertation, Massachusetts Institute of Technology).

Kashdan, T. B., Barrett, L. F., & McKnight, P. E. (2015). Unpacking emotion differentiation: Transforming unpleasant experience by perceiving distinctions in negativity. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 24(1), 10-16.

Vygotsky, L. S. (1980). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Harvard university press.