
Embodied Learning with Emily Poel and Guy Claxton S11E6 (145)
The Learning Future Podcast with Louka ParryShow Notes
In this episode of the Learning Future Podcast, Louka Parry connects with Guy Claxton and Emily Poel, authors of Bodies of Learning: How Embodiment Science Transforms Education. Their conversation dives deep into the relationship between our physical selves and the learning process, shedding light on how embodiment can reshape our understanding of intelligence and education.
Guy challenges the tendency to equate intelligence with intellect alone. He argues for a broader understanding of intelligence that includes movement, perception, emotion, intuition, physical experience and action — what he and Emily describe as the body-mind.
Emily brings a practical lens to embodiment — particularly the importance of reconnecting with our own experience, noticing the body, creating space for reflection, and allowing learners and educators to experiment with what helps them learn.
More from The Learning Future Podcast with Louka Parry
In this episode of The Learning Future Podcast, Louka Parry is joined by educator, entrepreneur and Future Anything founder Nicole Dyson to explore what learning needs to become in a world being rapidly reshaped by AI. Together, they challenge the false divide between knowledge and capabilities, arguing instead for capability rich learning, where young people build strong foundations of knowledge and then learn how to apply what they know in complex, unpredictable and unfamiliar contexts. Nicole discusses why engagement matters, how AI is changing the skills young people will need beyond school, and why capabilities such as agility, communication, collaboration and agency cannot be developed through linear learning experiences alone. The conversation also turns the lens back on educators. If we want young people to become explorers, risk-takers and adaptive thinkers, teachers and schools need the confidence to experiment too, loosening control, staying intellectually curious and creating learning environments where both educators and students can operate at their growth edge.
In a world increasingly driven by technology, Isabelle Hau emphasizes a shift back to what makes us truly human: our relational abilities. During her conversation with Louka Parry on the Learning Future Podcast, Isabelle champions the idea of relational intelligence, arguing that the future of education and work will hinge on our capacity to connect, collaborate, and navigate complex social landscapes.
In this episode, Louka Parry speaks with architect, urban designer and author Danish Kurani about the powerful but often overlooked role of physical space in shaping how we think, feel and learn. From classrooms and homes to supermarkets and cities, Danish argues that design is never neutral. It influences behaviour, wellbeing, creativity and connection in ways we rarely notice until we learn to see it. Together, they explore what great learning environments require, why flexible furniture alone is not enough, and how educators, leaders and parents can become more intentional designers of the spaces that shape human flourishing.
In this episode of The Learning Future Podcast, Louka Parry speaks with Andreas Schleicher, Director for Education and Skills at the OECD, about the changing purpose of education in an age of AI, uncertainty and rapid technological change.
In this episode, Louka Parry is joined by Justin Reich, Associate Professor of Digital Media at MIT and Director of the MIT Teaching Systems Lab, for a thoughtful conversation about AI, schooling and the future of learning. Together, they explore how generative AI is disrupting familiar classroom practices, why friction and productive struggle still matter deeply for learning, and how schools can respond when there is no clear “best practice” to follow.