Increase Online Course Engagement and Retention Through Embodied Cognition

Embodied cognition theory provides online course creators and coaches with a powerful approach to impart knowledge. It suggests that learners absorb information better when physical activity is incorporated into the learning process. In short, our body thinks too.

This means that when students learn only through passive listening, they’re not engaging their full cognitive abilities. However, when we introduce movement and encourage sensory learning, students begin to embody knowledge, making the new information more likely to stick.

Now, the question is: how can we utilise embodied cognition to help our online learners connect with your teachings and, more importantly, apply them in their daily lives?

Let’s explore five revolutionary strategies that will help your students feel the lesson, remember it, and live it.

3 Essential Benefits of Embodied Cognition in Learning

Enhanced Engagement

Learning doesn’t begin in the mind. It begins with curiosity sparked through movement, storytelling, tone, and even the posture of the learner.

Research reveals that when learners incorporate bodily movements, such as gestures, drawing, or interaction, they process information more effectively.

When it comes to online learning, this could mean encouraging your audience to quickly sketch a mind map, use hand gestures to illustrate an idea, or even stand up when presenting a bold concept.

Think of this as a way to divert their attention. Encouraging students to do some sort of movement helps pull them out of passivity and into participation.

Improved Retention

Research shows that our memory is heightened by our emotions. This means that how students feel during an online class can influence how well they remember it.

For example, a coach teaching assertiveness could ask learners to sit up straight and project their voice during practice. That simple activity turns abstract advice into muscle memory.

Later, when a student needs to be assertive in real life, that memory is triggered by the body’s recognition of a familiar posture and vocal tone. The physical experience acts as a cue, bringing the lesson to the surface at the exact moment it’s needed.

According to the theory of embodied cognition, bodily states such as posture, gestures, or facial expressions can activate related mental and emotional states (Barsalou, 2008). Re-enacting the same physical experience makes the experience intuitive and also brings back memories of learned behaviours.

Deeper Understanding

As learners do an activity while consuming information, they transition from surface-level awareness to real comprehension. The element of movement also helps them apply their learning in real life situations.

Here’s an example: In a coaching program about values-based leadership, ask your clients to create a “values map” on their wall with post-it notes.

Now ask them to move those ideas around and group them into themes or guiding principles. Physical movements heighten engagement and encourage them to reflect on how these values influence decisions. This is how embodied cognition works. It helps make abstract ideas real through physical interaction.

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5 Embodied Online Course Teaching Strategies That Work

#1: Use of Metaphors and Imagery In Your Online Course Lessons

Words transform our minds into different worlds and open us up to different perspectives. The use of metaphors and imagery activates our senses and helps learners relate abstract ideas to real-life experiences.

Example: “Teaching without feedback is like driving with your eyes closed.”

This metaphor gives the concept depth so learners can imagine it and remember it more effectively.

Here are a few things to consider when using imagery and metaphors:

Anchor abstract concepts in everyday life

Use familiar, real-life experiences to explain complex ideas. This helps online course learners instantly relate to your content.

Pair visual language with actual visuals

Match your metaphors with images or animations. This helps your learners retain information better since you’re using words and visuals to work together.

Don’t overdo it

Too many metaphors in your online course can confuse learners or make your content feel fluffy instead of clear. Remember to use metaphors sparingly.

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#2: Incorporate Physical Anchors

A physical anchor is a small movement, action, or sensation that helps cement learning.

For example, you can:

Ask students to write one big takeaway from your module in their journal.
Ask them to pause and stretch during a key reflection point.
Encourage breathing exercises just before a high-stakes concept to reduce anxiety.

These small physical shifts create a memorable state change, helping learners connect the body to the brain.

#3: Dynamic Use of Tone and Energy

A monotone is a deal-breaker, whether it’s in a recorded video lesson or a live online event.
Lack of inflection, variation in your voice, and low energy isn’t inspiring at all. The way you say something is just as powerful as what you say.

Use tone as a teaching tool:

Slow your pace when delivering key points to signal that this is information your students shouldn’t miss.
Boost curiosity by raising your energy and showing enthusiasm when introducing a new topic.
Lower your voice when sharing something vulnerable to build trust.

Your voice is powerful! Use it to lead your learner’s focus and emotional state.

#4. Acknowledgment of Learning Moments

Don’t rush through your content. Build in space for your learners to feel the learning land.

Try this:

Pause and ask, “How would you apply this to your current challenge? ”
Let them write down or speak aloud a takeaway before moving on.
Create a moment of silence for internalisation; this helps ideas settle. You can do this by pausing for a few seconds, taking a deep breath, and allowing time for reflection.

#5. Encourage a Change In Scenery In Your Online Course

Encourage a Change In Scenery In Your Online Course

We often think learning must be confined to a desk, a screen, a rigid setup. When we step outside our usual frame of reference, we tap into a refreshed environment, leading to enhanced focus and creativity.

Here are two practical ways to encourage a change in scenery in your online course:

Assign “Location-Based Learning Tasks.”
Instead of telling learners to simply “watch and reflect,” ask them to go to a park, a cafe, or even just sit by a window and journal.

Why?

Because shifting physical space shifts mental state. Instruct them to observe their surroundings and make connections between the lesson and the world outside. This makes learning immersive, not passive.

Example: “After completing Module 2, take your notebook and find a quiet space away from your desk. Reflect on today’s topic and write down how it shows up in your current life.”

Use Visual and Interactive “Scene Shifts” Within Your Online Course
Every video doesn’t need to look the same. Break the pattern. Film some lessons outside or switch up backgrounds. Even simple changes like whiteboard sketches, real-life demonstrations, or ambient backgrounds can awaken the brain.

Pro tip: Add a “Creative Corner” lesson every few modules, hosted in a new location, where you demonstrate how ideas look in the real world.

Conclusion:

Embodied cognition teaches us that learning is not only a mental activity but a physical process as well. As online course creators and coaches, we are entrusted with the responsibility and the privilege of guiding our learners to absorb knowledge and apply it in real life to reach their goals.

Remember to incorporate embodied strategies such as metaphors, movement, reflection, and energy into your teachings. These techniques encourage learners to not just engage with their minds but to experience the learning through their senses, making the process truly transformative.