BODY AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY: FROM LABORATORY TEACHING TO EMBODIED COGNITION

In recent years, more and more studies have underlined the importance of the body in learning processes, giving it a fundamental educational role in teaching. The latest research expands the cultural and pedagogical consideration of the body as a dimension that is not only identifiable with the physical component of the person. In this perspective, corporeity stands for the Human as a whole: the human being is felt, perceived in multiple nuances, sensations, activities, and paths that are explored starting exactly from the body. The first part of this article represents a pedagogical reflection on the current situation, opening spaces for discussion on the importance of experience and pleasure as learning strategies. The focus is then turned to an alternative to the traditional lessons, i.e., laboratory teaching, where the body is actively involved in the teaching-learning process. Finally, the recent theory of Embodied Cognition has highlighted how most cognitive processes occur through body control systems. The embedded knowledge considers the dependence of the cognitive processes on the sensomotory system as given. The abovementioned debate allows to notice how it is increasingly necessary to focus on the close relationship between perception and action, mind, and body