Visual Learning

Visual learning is one of the three sensory learning methods that can be applied to an instructional plan, along with auditory and kinesthetic. Visual learning is a modality of learning and relates to the on elemental way in which an individual can gain information from their environment. The visual cortex of the brain is larger than all of the other sensory cortexes of the brain put together. The eye is the most robust organ and absorbs seventy percent of the brains sensory reception. In one blink of an eye millions of light signals are transported through the optic nerves to the visual processing centers of the brain.
Secondly, students have grown up in a media based culture. According to Tapscott the author of "Growing Up Digital" states that, "The Net Generation have learned to read images through digital immersion and have increased their ability to speed up their visual reflexes through gaming."(p.106) This is only one of the reasons why the use of visual images needs to be a large part of the teaching practice. One solution in keeping a student's highly engaged in learning process would be to introduce them to digital learning tools that are designed for visual experiences. These digital learning tools could include thinking pictures, interactive notebooks, guided imagery, and visual organizers. In the following section you will be exposed to a few of these digital tools as they are related
to Web 2.0 applications that support visual learning.

Inspiration

Inspiration is a software application designed to help students extend their ideas and categorize their thoughts by allowing them to construct pictures of their thoughts or concepts in the form of graphic organizers. Students are encouraged to figuratively establish  thoughts, to arrange them and group them, and to find and correct any gaps that may exist. 

Many types of visual diagrams can be created with the program, including concept maps, idea maps, webs and storyboards. Multiple toolbars allow students to point, click, type, and edit, creating pleasing looking diagrams with ease. 
Inspiration also provides an outlining section to help students develop their ideas into organized written documents. In this section, or 'view', users input and edit as with word processing programs. Because the program is fully integrated, users can switch between 'views', converting diagrams to outlines, and outlines to diagrams. 

Teaching Techniques

Teachers should use scaffolding instructional techniques at the onset of concept development when using visual modalities with instruction. Scaffolding is a instructional technique that breaks down a complex task into easier, more "doable" steps. Demonstrating the scaffolding process through the uses mind mapping applications at the onset of concept development will set the expectations for the map design. This will also give students time to sort
through the depth of knowledge needed to make branch like connections to the main theme of the lesson.

Graphic Organizers

Incorporating technology in the classroom effectively, teachers must use those strategies that are directly aligned to practices that engage students in higher levels of direct learning. Teachers must be cognizant of academic learning time as they deliver a lesson, because large differences in the amount of academic learning time built up by different students generally result in wide variation in student achievement. This means that some students may choose not to engage in teacher assigned task and become complacent in learning, especially when not monitored by the teacher. For example, during the set, effective teachers focus the students’ attention on the learning outcome and prepare them to learn. Often in their zeal to get to the meat of the lesson, some teachers neglect to include the set in their teaching. One easy and quick way to get the students involved is to ask them review questions, but an excellent set technique is to begin the lesson with an activity that illustrates to the students how they will be able to use the learning in the future.

Teachers can use an assortment of technology related tools to increase academic learning time to stimulate visually appealing organizers as a mental set to a lesson. These technology tools can then be designed as cues, questions, and advanced organizers that focus on the enhancement of the students ability to retrieve, use and organize information about a related topic or standard. To summarize some of the tools available would include online resources like mind maps, videos, rubrics, and timeline generators. Each of these tools have potential to cue students on what they are about to learn during the onset of a lesson in terms of advanced organizers. The idea is for the teacher to trigger student interest in high engaging content at the onset of the lesson to allow students to  access prior knowledge as they apply it to new concepts.

For example, a teacher introduces a lesson using a graphic organizer open source software tool like, Mindmeister, My Webspiration, Bubbleus, or Dropmind, to create a concept map that scaffolds an introductory concept.  Concept maps like Bubble us and Mindmister are useful tools for helping students organize information about important topics by showing relationships between concepts and standards. To create a concept map the teacher just simply places the major concept in a center oval and connects the stems or linking words (supporting concepts) between ovals. Usually the general concept is placed in the center of the diagram with supporting statements branching out from the general concept. Most importantly, these maps once developed, can serve a posted reference by using embedded codes to a classroom wiki. The following is a list of recommended steps when creating a concept map. (MarzanoGraphicA.pdf)  (MarzanoGraphicB.pdf)
    List the concepts to be mappedSelect the main concept and rank the remaining concepts, listing them from most general to most specific.
    Arrange concepts in an outward branching diagram connecting supporting concepts to the main concept
    Concepts should be connected by stems and appropriate linking words cross linkages should be created at connecting points to establish ties between new concepts and supporting idea.  

Bubble.us

Bubbl.us claims to be a brainstorming tool but as you can see from the example in the video it is presented in Mind map form. Fairly easy to use although there are no images or graphics allowed. Bubbl.us is also a good tool for an interactive whiteboard. Bubbl.usis a simple
and free web application that lets you brainstorm online.  The open source software application allows users to:
•Create colorful mind maps online
•Share and work with friends
•Embed your mind map in your blog or website
•Email and print your mind map
•Save your mind map as an image

Mind Mapping

Students are constantly faced with taking classroom notes by writing them down line by line. Unfortunately the brains visual system does not accommodate or store information in neat horizontal lines. According to British research psychologist, Tony Buzan, the brain's visual system transfers signals to the brain and stores the information by forming  branch like connections.  These information forming webs are referred to as dendrites and look like branches on a tree. Dendrite formations in the brain are primarily responsible for stores of information and as a result, form patterns from visual associations. These patterns, formed through visual images, are the primary source for the formation of mental imprints that are directly associated with memory retention. 

So why do we constantly have students take notes in horizontal form when their memory system is built for visual interpretation made out in branches?  Instead of having students take notes by writing them down have them use a mind map. The use of mind maps can support skill development by outlining content with related pictures, highlighted with colorful connections and symbolized with patterns of associations.
Resources in Graphic Organizers
Bubbl.us - A flash based brainstorming tool that you can share with others and also embed in to your site.
 
Cayra.net - A desktop-only app that runs on Windows XP or Vista.

CmapTools - Free to universities, students, federal employees, and individuals for personal use.

CompendiumInstitute.org - A free mind mapping and brainstorming tool from the Open University. 

DebateMapper.com - A bit of a different mapper in that it focuses on mapping out debates, whether they be political or business. 

Gliffy.com - Draw & share all sorts of diagrams and mind maps.

Mapul.com - Based on Microsoft’s Silverlight, offers basic and premium packages, can handle images, hyperlinks and more. 

Mind42.com - Allows for multiple users, embedding into sites, and inclusion of items such as Wikipedia entries.

Mindomo.com - Basic accounts are free, premium will bring you more features, but costs $6 a month. Allows hypertext, images and more.

MindMeister.com - Basic package is free to everyone, premium and team packages available for fees.

MindPlan.com - Free for personal use. Integrates with Lotus Notes and has XML import and export.

RecallPlus.com - Geared towards students. Features note organization, 3D tools, and flash card
studying in the paid versions.

WiseMapping.com - Completely web-based so you can use it from any computer with a browser. Allows for numerous distinctions between topics.