Creating Visuals
Overview
When learners process and express information visually, they are activating more cognitive processes while Problem Solving. Creating artistic representations of knowledge helps learners fully immerse themselves in content knowledge creatively to gain new insights while deepening their understanding. Creating visual representations of data in the form of graphs and charts can also support everyday and scientific Numeracy skills. Learners are able to exhibit what they know in ways that respect their out-of-school literacies and make connections to their existing knowledge, increasing Motivation and retention of information in Long-term Memory.
Use It In Your Learning Environment
Supporting adults in making their thinking visible and clarifying that the intention is not to test their drawing skills but to add an element of playfulness helps them become comfortable with it. Visual forms can be integrated in learning either through activities that involve observational drawing or conceptual drawing and diagramming, or through collaborative forms of image-making like collages. Using structured activities such as making sketchnotes, concept maps, or story maps can also be a way to check the learners' understanding serving as formative assessment. Visual notetaking, or sketchnoting, is a process that allows learners to represent their ideas non-linguistically which supports English language learners and adult learners from varied cultural backgrounds.
Product developers can create platforms with digital tools to allow learners to create original visual representations of content through a variety of media, which can also help boost their Digital Literacy. This can include having students create online pictorial storyboards, comic strips, and other visual-based media. This supports student Attention and allows learners to explore their creative thinking and bring their ideas to life, while also supporting Disciplinary Literacy.
Additional Resources
Additional examples, research, and professional development. These resources are possible representations of this strategy, not endorsements.
Factors Supported by this Strategy
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