Teachers have been using visual aides to enhance the curriculum for decades centuries for ever. Imagine a 19th century teacher trying to teach geography without the use of a map! Or a student of any era trying to understand the concept of fractions without the help of a visual explanation. Even medieval biblical learning was mostly pictorial. In 1823 education was revolutionized with the invention of (...wait for it...) the blackboard. Teachers were able to reach more students by utilizing the chalk board to enhance learning through visualization. Humans need visualization tools to help us explain and /or comprehend complex ideas. Generations of educators have long understood that adding a visual to the lesson adds interest, deepens understanding and helps with retention.
More than any other generation, today's 21st century learners are growing up in an increasingly visual world and are more visually stimulated than ever before. Research shows that 65% of the population are visual learners. It stands to reason then, that in order to reach the great potential of these learners, educators need to embrace visual technology and themselves become visual teachers. This week I learned a lot about tech tools that help learners interpret and express ideas through visual media. From GoogleEarth to tinkerplots, digital storytelling and student produced videos, these visualizing technologies are all exceptional tools to aid in creativity, collaboration, problem solving, and critical thinking skills.
Resources:
http://www.inspiration.com/blog/2010/09/visual-learning-in-the-21st-century/http://www.visualteachingalliance.com/ABOUT/ABOUTWhoTea.html
http://vizedhtmlcontent.next.ecollege.com/CurrentCourse/Files%20Management/Ch%209%20Visualizing%20w%20Technologies.pdf
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