Tweet It took me years to figure out how to read for meaning and effectively study for exams. Then I discovered ways to organize work into a map or image that I could visualize in my mind. I found that by doing so, I could grasp and retain information for longer periods of time, which Read more »
Posts Tagged ‘visual thinking’
Anchor Students’ Learning Before Winter Break
December 7th, 2010
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Tweet Winter break is just two weeks away for many school districts. From now until the bell rings in mid-December, you may find your students restless and daydreaming about sleeping in, playing in the snow or enjoying a homework-free couple of weeks. Educators often say that the biggest challenge at this time of the year Read more »
How the Brain Creates Meaning
November 30th, 2010
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Tweet Visual thinking helps students understand new concepts and retain knowledge, but what’s the brain function behind visual learning? How does visual information help a student’s brain create meaning and knowledge? Recently I watched a speech by Tom Wujec at a TED conference in February 2009 discussing this exact process.1 In the first six minutes, Read more »
Reach Beyond the Classroom
November 23rd, 2010
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Tweet Can you envision a classroom in ten years or picture the future of students’ learning and homework? Presently, technology has expanded the reach of education and begun redefining the classroom experience while reshaping the way students today do their homework. Before, a teacher’s impact was only between the hours of a school day. Students Read more »
Collaboration on the Forefront of K-12 Technology
November 2nd, 2010
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Tweet Technology in the last five to ten years has dramatically affected the way we communicate and collaborate. Students today, who are the digital natives of our world, communicate naturally through programs on computers and applications on mobile devices. Between texting, social networks and email, students understand that our world collaborates and communicates via technology Read more »
Say It Without Words
October 26th, 2010
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Tweet Communication is commonly understood as an output or exchange of information, where thoughts are verbalized or expressed in words spoken aloud or by written means. Yet often, communication does not involve words at all. Visual communication, such as that conveyed with pictures, art or other nonlinguistic representations, is all around us in the world Read more »
Visual Thinking Solves Problems
October 19th, 2010
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Tweet I believe problem solving is a necessary, learned skill involving vision, strategy and higher-order thinking; all things that educators need to teach and nurture in students in order for them to be successful in school and in life. Since I received my masters in whole systems design and systems thinking, I have a bias Read more »
Visual Learning Develops Critical Thinking
October 12th, 2010
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Tweet Paul Richard, the Director of Research and Professional Development at the Center for Critical Thinking, says critical thinking is “thinking about thinking while thinking in order to think better.”1 This is perhaps a playful way of reinforcing what I believe, which is that critical thinking is a core backbone to learning. The ability to Read more »
Do You See What I’m Saying?
September 21st, 2010
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Tweet I’m a visual thinker. This means that if you ask me for directions to the library down the street, I will give you vivid images with colorful landmarks that point you in the direction of where you need to go. I dream in color and I perform well on tests when I’ve reviewed a Read more »
Visual Learning in the 21st Century
September 14th, 2010
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Tweet 21st century skills – the words have been buzzing through speeches and between conversations at education conferences and on the web for a couple of years now. National organizations like the Partnership for 21st Century Skills (P21), advocate and define the 21st century skills pertinent to students’ success in their studies and careers after Read more »
