Improving social and conceptual connections during remote statistics classes

Remote instruction lacks shared physical space and physical social presence. This can make it difficult to incorporate embodied learning techniques, which have been shown to strengthen learning outcomes, into our lessons, and can make it difficult to feel socially connected to peers. We propose that incorporating embodiment into a synchronous lesson by engaging students in a physical task using a shared set of materials can help strengthen social and conceptual connections. We outline a high school statistics lesson on measurement error that involves building a popsicle stick catapult and measuring gummy bear launch distances. We distributed a set of all the necessary materials to the students at the start of the course. The activity simulated a sense of shared space and brought about multimodal learning and shared physical experiences. We witnessed enhanced joint attention, the development of physically grounded understanding, and increased engagement.