Creative Zen Learning Space and Community
Symposium:
Session Title:
- Collaborating through Interactive Media
Presentation Title:
- Creative Zen Learning Space and Community
Presenter(s):
Venue(s):
Abstract:
In this paper, we survey how to develop a creative Zen learning space and community through interactive technology, digital art, and installation art. This research which has been implemented in Dharma Drum Buddhist College (DDBC) includes “Creative Meditation Room” for teaching Zen meditation and the creative corridors, “z_Move corridor” and “z_Circle corridor”, for learning “walking Zen meditation”.
In “Creative Meditation Room”, we use wireless pressure-sensor technology, bio-sensors, and media art to detect participators’ body balance for assisting them to practice Zen meditation. We gather the participators’ balance data for developing Zen database and infer each participator’s Zen meditation level at the same time. In addition, we also transform participators’ Zen meditation data into ripple animation projected on the ceiling. Zen advisors can easily know each participator’s Zen meditation condition through observing the ripples and then give appropriate directions in time. In creative “z_Move corridor”, participators can start their “concentration practice” when they across the corridor. In this case, we use the chat room communicating technology to create the concentration practice system, which can help participators to learn how to concentrate their attention by moving a “Zen ball” through ten screens. Moreover, we also implement the system in mobile phone to let the participators remotely control the Zen ball’s movement through ubiquitous learning in any place and at any time. In creative “z_Circle corridor”, we use wireless-sensor networks technology and acoustic design to encourage and guide the participators to walk and keep still thought. In addition, the system also make the experienced participators to have more advanced practice of walking meditation at a slow pace and teach them how to maintain a peace mind in their busy daily life. (http://techart.tnua.edu.tw/fbi/p=3102)
Through Zen meditation practice activities in Dharma Drum Mountain, more and more people can immerse in our creative Zen learning space. After the tests and evaluations of user participation, we find out that the creative Zen learning space can not only inspire participator’s interest in Zen meditation but also increase the efficiency of Zen meditation education. Besides, we also develop a creative Zen learning community on Internet called “Zen map” which records all data of Zen meditation students’ learning process. Our creative Zen learning system is not only web e-learning system but also a real space-learning system.
In the future we hope the results of our research can extend to more places and inspire more people to enjoy Zen experience. Moreover, we also hope to realize the concept of Ubiquitous ZEN under cultural context and mind-brain cultivation.
