Active Aging: Learning English and Developing Fine Psychomotor Abilities.

Background: Recent studies highlight that cognitive processes involved in learning share neural pathways with those controlling fine motor skills. Building on this insight, the mini-EDUball method was developed to integrate cognitive and motor activities directly at the classroom desk. While this ap...

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Publicado en:Experimental Aging Research Vol. 52; no. 4; pp. 585 - 606
Autores principales: Baranowska, Karolina, Dylewski, Radosław, Fugiel, Jarosław, Klichowski, Michał, Rościszewska, Agnieszka, Rokita, Andrzej
Formato: research tables/charts Journal Article
Publicado: Taylor & Francis Ltd Jul-Sep2026
Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
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        0361073X
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      jtl: Experimental Aging Research
      issn: 0361073X
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    pubinfo:
      dt: Jul-Sep2026
      vid: 52
      iid: 4
      pid: 377
      pub: Taylor & Francis Ltd
      place: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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        10.1080/0361073X.2026.2635284
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      formats:
      tig:
        atl: Active Aging: Learning English and Developing Fine Psychomotor Abilities.
      aug:
        au:
          Baranowska, Karolina
          Dylewski, Radosław
          Fugiel, Jarosław
          Klichowski, Michał
          Rościszewska, Agnieszka
          Rokita, Andrzej
        affil: Faculty of English, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland
      sug:
        subj:
          Healthy Aging Psychosocial Factors
          Vocabulary Education
          English Language Education
          Learning Evaluation
          Psychomotor Performance Evaluation
          Motor Skills Evaluation
          Skill Acquisition Evaluation
          Hand Physiology
          Teaching Methods
          Outcomes of Education
          Human
          Funding Source
          Female
          Male
          Middle Age
          Aged
          Aged, 80 and Over
          Comparative Studies
          Course Content
          Pretest-Posttest Design
          Gamification
          Repeated Measures
          Analysis of Variance
          Post Hoc Analysis
          Questionnaires
          Experimental Studies
          Data Analysis Software
          Educational Technology
          Models, Educational
          Task Performance and Analysis
          Physical Activity
          Scales
          Summated Rating Scaling
          Structured Questionnaires
          Open-Ended Questionnaires
          Middle Aged: 45-64 years
          Aged: 65+ years
          Aged, 80 & over
          Female
          Male
      ab: Background: Recent studies highlight that cognitive processes involved in learning share neural pathways with those controlling fine motor skills. Building on this insight, the mini-EDUball method was developed to integrate cognitive and motor activities directly at the classroom desk. While this approach has been applied successfully with children, its potential for older adults remains underexplored. Methods: This preregistered study addresses this gap by examining the impact of mini-EDUballs on English vocabulary acquisition and fine psychomotor skills in seniors. Seventy-three participants aged 60+ were assigned to four groups with varying uses of mini-EDUballs and motor exercises during a 12-week English course. Vocabulary and fine motor skills were assessed before and after the intervention. Results: All groups improved in vocabulary; however, gains under mini-EDUball – based instruction were not larger than those observed in the comparison groups. The findings further suggest that, when mini-EDUball is used with older adults, it may be preferable to implement simple games that engage fine motor skills alongside mental activity unrelated to the target material, rather than activities tightly coupled to the learning content. Notably, many participants reported skepticism about the ball-based methods. Additionally, fine psychomotor performance did not change significantly over time, and this lack of change was consistent across all groups. Conclusions: Overall, the study indicates that embodied, motor-enriched language instruction is feasible in older adults and may support vocabulary learning, although learner perceptions warrant careful consideration, and benefits for hand dexterity should not be inferred.
      pubtype: Academic Journal
      doctype:
        research
        tables/charts
        Journal Article
      ougenre: Article
    language: English
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