The suitability of kinesthetic learning activities for teaching distributed algorithms

Kinesthetic learning is a process in which students learn by actively carrying out physical activities rather than by passively listening to lectures. Pedagogical research indicates that kinesthetic learning is a fundamental, powerful, and ubiquitous learning style. To date, efforts to incorporate this learning style within the computer science curriculum have focussed on introductory courses. Material in upper-level courses, however, can also benefit from a similar approach. In particular, courses on distributed computing, by the very nature of the material they cover, are uniquely suited to exploiting this learning technique. We have developed and piloted a collection of kinesthetic activities for a senior undergraduate or graduate-level course on distributed systems. We give detailed descriptions of these exercises and discuss factors that contribute to their success.