Content list available at http://epubs.icar.org.in, www.kiran.nic.
in; ISSN: 0970-6429
Indian Journal of Hill Farming
December 2023, Volume 36, Issue 2
Innovative teaching by kinesthetic learning activity and its problem factors: Physics in
agriculture
Soma Roy Acharjee1 ∙ Anuradha Bhattacharya2 ∙ L Hemochandra3
1
Corresponding author, Director, New Edge Programme, Techno India Group, Kolkata,-700091 India,
2
Asst. Professor, Techno India University, Kolkata, West Bengal, 700091 India,
3
Professor in Agri. Statistics, CPGS, CAU (I), Umiam, Meghalaya 793104, India
ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT
The present study attempts to find out the problems faced by the students in
Article history: understanding Physics through Kinesthetic Learning Activity. Present day students lack
Received: 15 September, 2023
Revision: 02 October, 2023 clear concepts in the subject Physics and its uses in terms of Agriculture and thus it becomes
Accepted: 30 November, 2023 important for the educator to devise innovative methods of teaching; like the Kinesthetic
-------------------------------------- Learning Activity. However, administering KLA had some problem factors, which were
Key words: Problems, Garrett, KLA,
Physics, Agriculture ranked. 45 responses from Class XI Science students were collected with the help of an
-------------------------------------- online questionnaire and were analyzed using Garrett’s Ranking Technique to obtain the
highest rank in the problem. Findings show that ‘difficult to picturize certain topics' is the
most important factor followed by ‘lack of adequate time for conducting activity’ in the
class among the 13 possible problem factors.
1. Introduction role play. The term Pedagogy is used to describe theories and
In the schools in India the pedagogy of teaching methods of teaching utilizing different techniques of
Physics is more of a lecture method delivery with limited teaching. Practice of appropriate strategies, considering
experiments on board. Research has shown that this method individual differences and engaging the learners into social
suffers from many drawbacks like “decreased student interaction between each other and between their teachers
engagement, frequent student inattention, and the exclusion may be regarded as the main target of the pedagogical
of nonverbal learning modalities”. Hence, the students rely on components (Shireen, 2018).
rote learning rather than conceptualizing the concepts. KLAs can positively affect the culture of
Students tend to learn best when an array of learning styles is interaction in the classroom, encouraging student
used by instructors. (Califf, C. B.2020) participation and collaboration. There is evidence to suggest
Research says students learn better when on the move! kinesthetic learning may prove especially beneficial to at-risk
Students are fast learners, better retainers, can build excellent students. KLAs draw new ideas in the minds of the students,
neural networks thus can manipulate information more and serve as useful formative assessment tools for instructors,
effectively when they are in active physical motion. Many thus helping in monitoring the learning process (MOEGOI,
authors argue that students’ conceptions of basic physical 2021). It is believed that experiential learning combines
phenomena are rooted in basic schemas, originating in auditory, visual, and kinesthetic learning to allow students to
fundamental kinesthetic experiences of being. (Erwin, H, use all of the senses to better comprehend the content and
Weight, E., Harry, M., 2021) This paper mainly researches thus the use of experiential learning in the classroom
one such innovation, the kinesthetic learning activity. enhances student comprehension (Austin, 2015). By
Kinesthetic Learning Activity (KLA) (Sivilotti and Pike, incorporating experiential learning activities into the lesson
2007) is defined as “any activity which physically engages plans, students found it easier to recognize concepts being
students in the learning process”. KLAs is sometimes referred taught and remained focused longer by switching class
to in literature as simulation role play or analogical modeling activities from regular instruction to experiential learning.
___________________
And finally, these activities induce great deal of excitement during the month of May-June, 2023. In a Physics workshop
and enthusiasm into the classroom and the topics dealt are for teachers, they were asked to identify problems which are
etched in the memory with clarity and depth. Considering the the ruling factors as to why the students do not understand
young farmer teacher or regular secondary agricultural Physics as well as they understand other subjects. Such 20
teacher that teaches adults is also expected to present and/or points were identified of which based on the review of
organize educational classes and activities for participants, it literature, 13 problem factors which are faced by the students
is important to determine the best teaching methods for were selected for the study. With the help of an online
presenting these programs to participating adults (Bailey, et. questionnaire these 13 problem factors were shared to the
al., 2017). There is a particular sensual quality to the process respondents which consisted of students from Class XI in
of theatre creation that could be harnessed in fieldwork with Science stream with Physics major. A total number of 45
seasonal Agricultural Worker Program workers. The politics such students responded through an online survey. Students
of intimacy permeates workers lives in the workplace. were asked to identify the ranks of the problems faced based
Seasonal workers spend the majority of their time engaging on their personal experiences. Thus, the constraints were
their bodies in a deeply kenesthetic activity that over time this given numerical scores and statistically it was then analyzed
becomes memory in their bodies (Samudra, 2008). KLA’s for quantitative approach. To determine the most influencing
has been effectively used in Computer Science courses factors faced by the students, Garrett ranking (Garrett and
(Anderson, 2001) but very few researches on Physics courses Woodworth, 1969) was followed. This method qualifies as
has been conducted. This paper aims to answer the question if an excellent tool since the severity is judged from the angle
there is any remarkable difference in understanding the basic of the respondents.
concepts of Physics which cannot be demonstrated or Respondents were asked to rank their degree of
experimented at the school level when applying the importance such that the most important factor will be ranked
contemporary and traditional lecture method with that of the first, the next influencing factor as rank second and so on.
KLA method. The outcome of the ranking was converted into percent
position and ranked with the help of the following formula
2. Methodology
The study was carried out at the Techno India Percent position =
100 (𝑅𝑖𝑗−0.5)
Group Academia, Survey Park in South 24-pargana and 𝑁𝑗
Techno India Group Public School, Ariadaha in North 24- Where,
pargana by applying Multistage sampling. West Bengal is Rij = Rank given for the ith variable by the respondent
selected purposively at the first stage for the research work Nj = Number of variables ranked by jth respondent.
since it is under the Techno India University, the first private
university in Kolkata, the capital city of West Bengal, India Then, the percent position calculated was
which is a part of the Techno India Group; a renowned converted into scores with the help of Garret’s table. The
conglomerate of Sschools, Ccolleges and Universities which scores of each individual corresponding to their rank were
caters from playgroup to PhD. mainly in the state of West added and the total mean values of scores were calculated.
Bengal. The next step to select the region comprises of South The most important factor is the value having the highest
24-pargana and North 24-pargana districts since it is the mean value. The table given below represents the problems of
highest educational hub in this area. From the selected the students in understanding Physics. It was given by them at
districts, some schools are listed and one school is selected random according to the questionnaire.
randomly from each district. This study was conducted
Table 1. Problem factors which are faced by the students
Ranks given by the Respondents
Sl.
Problem
No.
1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th 11th 12th 13th
1 lack of experiential training 6 4 10 4 3 3 1 0 2 2 0 2 8
difficult to picturize certain
2 11 11 5 2 0 3 0 3 3 1 1 3 2
topics
lack of adequate time for
3 conduction activity in the 5 6 6 4 4 2 2 1 4 4 4 2 1
class
lack of proper management
4 3 1 3 11 2 1 5 1 4 3 3 3 5
of A-V aids
lack of expertise teacher in
5 Kinematics system of 0 2 3 2 8 7 2 5 4 3 4 3 2
learning
lack of activity experiences
6 2 3 2 2 6 7 9 3 2 1 4 3 1
within the school curriculum
time constraints due to
7 2 3 4 5 4 3 7 5 5 1 2 2 2
syllabus completion
tough subject: only beneficial
8 2 4 1 2 5 5 4 7 3 6 2 3 1
for fast learners
conceptualizing the tough
9 7 1 1 4 6 3 1 3 8 6 2 3 0
topics
10 lack of space 5 3 2 3 4 1 2 3 2 6 8 1 5
require high cost of
11 1 4 2 1 0 3 6 7 2 3 9 3 4
investments in labs
lack of knowledge about
12 0 3 4 2 1 2 3 3 4 4 4 12 3
KLA application
lack of social environment
13 1 0 2 3 2 5 3 4 2 5 2 5 11
about KLA
The percent positions and Garrett’s values
By using Garrett’s Ranking formula, percent positions for the ranks were calculated. Using the Garrett’s table,
percent position of Garrett’s values was obtained corresponding to their ranks which are given in Table 2. For the first problem
identified the Garrett’s value was found as 84, the second problem was 74 followed by 67, 62 and so on.
Table 2. Percent positions and Garrett’s values
Sl. No. 100(Rij – 0.5)/ Nj Calculated value Garrett’s Value
1 100(1-0.5)/13 30846 84
2 100(2-0.5)/13 11.538 74
3 100(3-0.5)/13 19.231 67
4 100(4-0.5)/13 26.923 62
5 100(5-0.5)/13 34.615 58
6 100(6-0.5)/13 42.308 54
7 100(7-0.5)/13 50.000 50
8 100(8-0.5)/13 57.692 46
9 100(9-0.5)/13 65.385 42
10 100(10-0.5)/13 73.077 38
11 100(11-0.5)/13 80.769 33
12 100(12-0.5)/13 88.462 26
13 100(13-0.5)/13 96.154 16
Calculation of Garrett’s value and Ranking
The calculation of Garrett’s average score and ranking of the problems faced by students are shown in Table 3.
Table 3. Calculation of Garrett’s score and Ranking
Ranks given by the respondents
Sl. Average
Problems Total Average Rank
No. 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7
th 8th 9th 10
th 11
th 12 th 13
th Score
1 lack of experiential training 504 296 670 248 174 162 50 0 84 76 0 52 128 2444 188.00 54.31 3
2 difficult to picturize certain topics 924 814 335 124 0 162 0 138 126 38 33 78 32 2804 215.69 62.31 1
3 lack of adequate time for conduction activity in the class 420 444 402 248 232 108 100 46 168 152 132 52 16 2520 193.85 56.00 2
4 lack of proper management of A-V aids 252 74 201 682 116 54 250 46 168 114 99 78 80 2214 170.31 49.20 8
lack of expertise teacher in Kinematics system of
5 0 148 201 124 464 378 100 230 168 114 132 78 32 2169 166.85 48.20 9
learning
6 lack of activity experiences within the school curriculum 168 222 134 124 348 378 450 138 84 38 132 78 16 2310 177.69 51.42 6
7 time constraints due to syllabus completion 168 222 268 310 232 162 350 230 210 38 66 52 32 2340 180.00 52.00 5
8 tough subject: only beneficial for fast learners 168 296 67 124 290 270 200 322 126 228 66 78 16 2251 173.15 50.02 7
9 conceptualizing the tough topics 588 74 67 248 348 162 50 138 336 228 66 78 0 2383 183.31 52.96 4
10 lack of space 420 222 134 186 232 54 100 138 84 228 264 26 80 2168 166.77 48.18 10
11 require high cost of investments in labs 84 296 134 62 0 162 300 322 84 114 297 78 64 1997 153.62 44.38 11
12 lack of knowledge about KLA application 0 222 268 124 58 108 150 138 168 152 132 312 48 1880 144.62 41.51 12
13 lack of social environment about KLA 84 0 134 186 116 270 150 184 84 190 66 130 176 1770 136.15 39.33 13
Figure 1. Pie diagram of average scores using Garrett’s Score
3. Results and discussions 9 Conceptualizing the tough topics
Students have their preferential ordering of the 10 Lack of space
ranked problems at the initial stage. On analyzing their 11 Require high cost of investment in labs
response the percent positions and Garrett’s values were 12 Lack of knowledge about KLA application
obtained. The calculation of Garrett’s average score and 13 Lack of social environment about KLA
ranking of the problems faced by students was calculated Among the 13 factors, “Difficult to picturise certain topics” is
using the Garrett’s table. Among the 13 factors, “Difficult to the major problem with the highest character score 2804 and
picturise certain topics” is the major problem with the highest average score of 62.31, the second highest Garrett score is
character score 2804 and average score of 62.31, the second 2520 with average score 56.00, the lack of experiential
highest Garrett score is 2520 with average score 56.00, the training occupies the third place with total score 2444 and
lack of experiential training occupies the third place with total average score 54.31The last but one value is lack of
score 2444 and average score 54.31. The last but one value is knowledge about application, it's total score is 1880 and
lack of knowledge about application, it's total score is 1880 average score is 41.51 the least score is the lack of social
and average score is 41.51. The least score is the lack of environment with total score is 1770 and average score is
social environment with total score is 1770 and average score 39.33 the total score average score. The total score, average
is 39.33. The total score, average score and Garrett average score and Garret average score of different problems are
score of different problems are shown in table 3. shown in table 3.
Kinesthetic learning activity is one such tool where A lucid view of the problems is given below for further in
the children actively participate in the school environment depth knowledge based on the ethnographic approach.
while simulating the situation themselves. KLA creates a 1. Difficult to picturise certain topics: Physics is the
clear conceptualization of the topics and further enhances the basis of all Science, with Chemistry and Biology
affinity towards the subject due to active participation. being the applied streams to Physics. The inner
However, it has been observed that there are many constraints understanding of the phenomenon in Physics is
in realizing the Kinesthetic learning activity for Physics in the abstract and not all students can relate to the topics
school environment. Based on the problems identified by easily. The phenomenon which cannot be visualized
educators and literature survey 13 unranked problems factors needs to be brought in front of the students in visual
were identified as given below: form, and what better method can we have but
The factors are students thinking in real time about how the objects
1. Lack of experiential training would respond in the scenario and themselves behave
2. Difficult to picturize certain topics like one.
3. Lack of adequate time for conducting activity in the class 2. Lack of adequate time for conducting activity in the
4. Lack of proper management of AV aids class: Students spend approximately 6 (six) hours in
5. Lack of expertise teacher in kinematic system of learning the School environment. As per norms classroom
6 Lack of activity experiences within the school curriculum teaching has to be completed within the scheduled
7. Time constraints due to syllabus completion time frame of students staying in school. However,
8. Subject only beneficial to fast learners school is where the children are taught not only
Physics as a subject but simultaneously for holistic the few first career options that come in the minds of
development of the students many other activities and the parents fraternity. Craze for Physics and Sciences,
subjects also need to be taught and completed within especially in the parents fraternity, leads to forcing
the time frame which leads to the constraint of time many slow learners in the Science stream with
management. Thus, many a time’s conducting Physics as the major subject. However, it is very
Kinesthetic Learning Activity for Physics becomes a difficult for the slow learners to understand the
leisure activity in the mindset of the instructors. abstractness of Physics within the stipulated time
3. Lack of experiential training: Every new concept frame. The fast learners can grasp the topics easily.
must be well researched and scientifically developed For better and faster understanding of Physics KLA is
based on which standardized training module must be an excellent method.
created. However, Kinesthetic Learning Activity for 8. Lack of proper management of AV aids: In India
Physics is in its nascent stage. It is less researched more than 83% of the total schools are located in
and ill documented. Hence proper guided training is rural India. The remaining 17% schools in urban
not available for both instructors which would aid in India are also not as affluent as expected. Hence only
rendering fruitful KLA to the learners. the basic requisites to conduct a school are only
4. Conceptualizing the tough topics: In a research with available. Not all schools are provided with AV and
150 students, Physics was identified by 44% students other machine aids and thus KLA performance aided
to be a tough subject to relate. This clearly indicates with machines should be avoided. However, KLAs in
there is a mental block which has developed in the Physics can be devised without the use of Audio-
students against the subject Physics. This could affect Visual aids.
their understanding of Physics to a large extent and 9. Lack of expert teachers in the kinesthetic system of
thus Physics scores would be affected. So, to learning: The teacher-educators in the Indian system
overcome this mental block one innovative method is are exposed to this Kinesthetic Learning Activity for
to introduce the Physics topics by KLA method Physics very recently. Since it is a new field and not
which would make the topics easily understood and much training module is present based in this field the
relatable. teacher-educators lack the expertise in conducting
5. Time constraints due to syllabus completion: The KLA in Physics along with classroom management.
Physics syllabus in senior secondary school covers an Hence, they need to be trained first with the
array of topics spread over from Mechanics to techniques of KLA ensuring classroom management,
Thermodynamics, Nuclear Physics to Electronics and time management etc.
Communication systems. This vast spread has to be 10. Lack of space: Ideally the student teachers' ratio
completed within the stipulated time period; which should not exceed 30:1 in the school. In addition to
leads to the stress of syllabus completion in the minds this there must be 2 teachers per section, excluding
of the educators. Taking into view the holidays and principal, physical education teacher and counselor to
assessments which also fall in the given academic teach various subjects. However, the Indian school
year the syllabus completion with Kinesthetic system is overpopulated in student strength spread
Learning Activity for Physics is a challenge indeed. over a very limited space. Hence the dimensions of a
6. Lack of activity experiences within the school classroom or School field is not sufficient enough for
curriculum: School is where we aim at holistic all conducting Kinesthetic Learning Activity for Physics.
round development of a child. Hence, the School 11. Require high cost of investment in labs: One
curriculum has been heavy on activities spread over possibility to make Physics more understandable and
various areas like dance, drama, extempore etc. relatable is to conduct experiments in the school
Hence performing Kinesthetic Learning Activity for environment along with the delivery of topics. This
Physics becomes difficult within school curriculum. needs setting up of well-equipped labs catering to all
However, every problem has a solution; so research the topics ranging from Mechanics to
must be conducted and devised to find a better way of Thermodynamics to Nuclear Physics to Electronics
integrating other activity based learning with the and Communication systems that are there in the
KLA method of teaching Physics. syllabus. Setting up such a well-equipped laboratory
7. Subject only beneficial to fast learners: There is a is cost effective. However, this point has received a
mental condition in Indian Parenting which has very low score since it is not a perspective which
developed over the years about the career option for learners can relate to.
their children. Doctors, Engineers and Scientists are
12. Lack of knowledge about KLA application: The Erwin, H, Weight, E., Harry, M., Kinesthetic activities in
KLA system needs to be inbuilt in the Schooling physics instruction: Image schematic justification
system and every unit must be made aware of the and design based on didactic situations. 91(9),
KLA applications. The application of KLA needs a (2021).
lot of coordination in the school system as there Garrett, H. E. and Woodworth, R. S. (1969). Statistics in
must not be overlapping of utilizing the school field Psychology and Education. Vakils, Feffer and
or AV room or any other requisites. This needs Simons Pvt. Ltd., Bombay, 329.
proper planning for the execution of the Kinesthetic Ministry of Education Government of India (MOEGOI),
Learning Activity for Physics. (2021). https://www.education.gov.in › mhrd › files.
13. Lack of social environment about KLA: The Samudra, J. (2008). Memory in the body: thick participation
greater perspective of the student -teacher-parent and the translation of kinesthetic experience.
community and other social environment American Ethnologist, 35(4): 655-681.
responsible scored the least score since at the core Shireen Mostafa, A. A. (2018).The effect of using some
society always supports learning so if Kinesthetic Kinesthetic activities on Developing EFL language
Learning Activity for Physics is beneficial to performance for the Primary Governmental
students social environment will never oppose the Language stage students, a published thesis
same. submitted to Ain Shams University, Egypt.
Sivilotti, P. A. and Pike, S. M. (2007). “The suitability
4. Conclusion of kinesthetic learning activities for teaching
The Garrett’s Ranking method gives the highest mean distributed algorithms,” ACM SIGCSE Bull.
value indicating the important factors in studying the 39 (1): 362–366.
problems faced by the students in studying Physics through
KLA method. Students have their preferential ordering of the
unranked problems at the initial stage, which was ranked
using Garrett’s Ranking. According to this ranking “Difficult
to picturize certain topics” is the first rank which is followed
by “lack of adequate time for conducting activity in the
class”. The last factor influencing the students is “Lack of
social environment about kinesthetic learning activity” the
study may be used by policy makers to find solutions to the
conduction of KLA in the classroom situation thus enhancing
the knowledge of the students and making Physics more
relatable subject even in the field of agriculture.
5. References
Anderson, L. W., Krathwohl, D. R. and Bloom, B. S. (2001).
A taxonomy for learning, teaching, and assessing:
A revision of Bloom's Taxonomy of educational
objectives (Complete ed.). Longman.
Austin, M. (2015). Developing an Experiential Learning
Program: Milestones and Challenges (D. Rust,
Ed.). International Journal of Teaching and
Learning in Higher Education, 27(1): 143-153.
Bailey, B. S., Lindner, J. R. and Parr, B. (2017). An
Examination of Georgia Young Farmer Program
Participants’ Learning Style Preferences. Journal of
Human Sciences and Extension, 5(3): 51-57.
Califf, C. B., Incorporating Kinesthetic Learning into
University Classrooms: An Example from
Management Information Systems, Journal of
Information Technology Education: Innovations in
Practice, 19 31-45, (2020)
