The Theory

Biological impact upon learning when moving.

Motion is a natural state for humans and all sensory motor perception enhances the retention of knowledge. As well as retaining new knowledge and skills, the act of movement further enables easier recall of those skills. Repetitive and effortless work has shown to have little long term effect on brain development. Whereas research evidence suggests that an active sensory interaction with the environment, associated with the learning experience, not only helps to “awaken” synapses already in the brain but somehow causes the nerve cells to create new ones (Bransford, Brown and Cocking, 2000).

Brain research shows that movement causes a few chemical reactions in the brain, one of which is Acetylcholine, known as the primary neurotransmitter involved with thought, learning, and memory (Bransford, Brown and Cocking, 2000; Field and McManes, 2006).