An adult educator’s reflection on designing and delivering an embodied learning community development programme and embodied teaching and learning methods

Purpose This paper presents an educator’s perspective, on creating and facilitating an embodied learning programme with implications for theory, research and practice. Embodied learning methods, which centre the body in learning, have been discredited for being alternative to traditional learning methods and underappreciated in many formal institutions. Hence, this paper aims to challenge assumptions regarding quality education and proposes alternative directions to support the quality of education for migrants and refugees. Design/methodology/approach The research followed a qualitative decolonial methodological approach. The principal investigator developed and delivered an embodied learning community development programme in Canada consisting of 12 sessions. Data was collected using embodied ethnographic methods which included fieldnotes and a reflective journal. Data sources were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis (Braun and Clarke, 2021). Findings The embodied learning approach was well received and resulted in establishing deep interpersonal connection. However, developing and facilitating an embodied learning programme, from the perspective of a researcher and practitioner, takes a significant amount of energy and involved profound levels of engagement. Originality/value This research makes two important contributions. The first is the evidence of ways in which embodied learning approaches can improve the quality of education for migrants and refugees. The second comes from the insights on factors to consider for quality design and delivery of embodied learning programmes. This research has value to researchers and practitioners interested in alternative education and migrant education. The results and discussion provide suggestions for future development of embodied educational programmes.