The Visualization Tool- Reflection

Challenge & Selection

Visual thinking, also known as visual/spatial learning or picture thinking is the phenomenon of  thinking through visual processing. Visual thinking has been described as seeing words as a  series of pictures. It is common in approximately 60-65% of the general population. “Real picture  thinkers”, those who use virtual thinking almost to the exclusion of other kinds of thinking, make  up a smaller percentage of the population.  Tiffany Allen in her video suggests to just practice. It's  the kind of thing where once you begin to use the skill. It can be a little intimidating at first. But  once I get in the habit of doing that, I’ll quickly see how the rest of the room responds to me when  I get up and start drawing. So I decided to use it on my students as an experiment to see if using  the visualization tool benefited them in a more better understanding of what they were learning.

Application

I started it off with three simple starting questions that begin a Visual Thinking session, each  designed to elicit responses from the participants: The first asks for observations; then for visual  reasoning from the image, and then for subsequent observations. I learned that by making them  work together, in groups know far more than individuals. They can build on each others  observations and knowledge to paint a more complete picture. The larger goal remains one of  shifting the cognitive load to the learner. Making the classroom more active, making the projects  more investigatory, and encouraging them to express their skill in examination, observation and  thinking helps the learner develop. Learning needs to be more than distributing information,  effective learning is providing learning experiences for students to develop and grow.

Insight & Approach

For me, the use of visual thinking strategy was not meant to have students learn about art or art  history, but rather as a public, engaged development of their larger skills. These are skills that can  be applied in any field. I have learned from conducting this exercise with the students in the  course that were changed by the VTS focus in the course. They were more engaged with each  other in talking about the images, often offering differing opinions and ideas about picture  elements. They became more observant of their own lives and the visual cues that are present; in  one case observing the visual presence of mobile phones in social situations, indicating a decline  of conversations. They expressed a desire for more visual activity both as observer and producer


The Visualization Tool- Reflection Challenge & Selection Visual thinking , also known as visual / spatial learning or picture thinking is the phenomenon of thinking through visual processing . Visual thinking has been described as seeing words as a series of pictures . It is common in approximately 60 - 65 % of the general population . “ Real picture thinkers ” , those who use virtual thinking almost to the exclusion of other kinds of thinking , make up a smaller percentage of the population . Tiffany Allen in her video suggests to just practice . It 's the kind of thing where once you begin to use the skill . It can be a little intimidating at first . But once I get in the habit of doing that , I ’ll quickly see how the rest of the room responds to me when I get up and start drawing . So I decided to use it on my students as an experiment to see if using the visualization tool benefited them in a more better understanding of what they were learning . Application I started it off with three simple starting questions that begin a Visual Thinking session , each designed to elicit responses from the participants : The first asks for observations ; then for visual reasoning from the image , and then for subsequent observations . I learned that by making them work together , in groups know far more than individuals . They can build on each others observations and knowledge to paint a more complete picture . The larger goal remains one of shifting the cognitive load to the learner . Making the classroom more active , making the projects more investigatory , and encouraging them to express their skill in examination , observation and thinking helps the learner develop . Learning needs to be more than distributing information , effective learning is providing learning experiences for students to develop and grow . Insight & Approach For me , the use of visual thinking strategy was not meant to have students learn about art or art history , but rather as a public , engaged development of their larger skills . These are skills that can be applied in any field . I have learned from conducting this exercise with the students in the course that were changed by the VTS focus in the course . They were more engaged with each other in talking about the images , often offering differing opinions and ideas about picture elements . They became more observant of their own lives and the visual cues that are present ; in one case observing the visual presence of mobile phones in social situations , indicating a decline of conversations . They expressed a desire for more visual activity both as observer and producer