Visualizing
We have already started to look at the use of visuals, but there is more to consider...
Let's spend a LITTLE more time on graphic organizers. Here are 3 examples of graphics that we see in everyday life that contain much information.
Can you imagine how much writing you would have to do to put the basketball tournament information into paragraph form? "In round one, on March 19 through March 20, Louisville will play against Morehead State. The winner of that game will play against the winner of the Ohio State and Sienna game, etc, etc, etc."
Color Wheel suggested by Katie Wilson!
Can you find an example of a graphic organizer used in your discipline?
Graphic Organizers
The following research citations are taken directly from http://www.dzacademy.com/research/page25.html
"Graphic organizers aid students in developing critical thinking and other higher order thinking skills."
(Brookbank, et.al., 1999; DeWispelaere & Kossack, 1996)
"Marzano, Pickering, and Pollack (2001) have contended, as have others, that to foster higher-order thinking, instructional activities must call on learners to restructure their prior knowledge and link it to new information. A crucial aspect of this brain-based activity is that students use their own “voices and perspectives” as they construct personal meaning for various mathematical processes, data, and events. Because of their assertion that we all store information in both language and image formats, Marzano, Pickering, and Pollack (2001) in their research used several types of graphic organizers that involved interpreting, exemplifying, classifying, summarizing, inferring, comparing, and explaining. Their research showed a percentile gain of 40 percent in student achievement."
Graphic organizers are a helpful tool for improving retention and recall of information for students at all age and skill levels.
• (Bos & Anders, 1992; Ritchie & Volkl, 2000)
Graphic organizers may help students develop stronger problem-solving and general mathematical skills and knowledge.
• (Braselton & Decker, 1994; Monroe & Orme, 2002)
Graphic organizers may help second language learners improve higher order thinking skills.
• (DeWispelaere & Kossack, 1996)
Graphic organizers seem to be quite beneficial for use with learning disabled students, as they help students comprehend content area material, organize information, and retain and recall content.
• (Boyle & Weishaar, 1997; Gardill & Jitendra, 1999; Kim et al., 2004)
http://www.classtools.net/ This site has some cool digital toys to use on your smart board!
Science graphic organizers: http://www.eduplace.com/science/hmsc/content/organizer/index.html
Training students to visualize (if needed)
1. Work with text that has vivid descriptions
2. Think aloud about what you see when you read.
3. Have students draw what they see or use any visual representation.
4. Then have students write vivid descriptions.
Power of Doodling
You saw this video earlier this semester, so you can skip it now.
Prezi
Here's an explanation of what a Prezi is:
Instruction Manual for Creating a Prezi:
http://prezi.com/learn/manual/
A quick example of a Prezi:
http://prezi.com/buyhgjxnhexk/readability-of-texts/
Show Me
Here's a very different system that reminds me of Screenr: Show Me
Slideroll - online slide shows
Let me know what you think of this presentation device:
3D Graphic Organizers (Foldables)
Create a foldable (see below) that could be used by one of your students. If you
share this in class, be able to tell exactly how the foldable would be used in your class.
Kids enjoy them:
Powerpoint on foldables: http://www.slideshare.net/bkind2animals/foldables-1198906
How to fold foldables:
http://newsouthvoices.uncc.edu/files/nsv/institute/Foldables.pdf
Some of the foldable links below have connections to links that are NOT limited by subject area:
Social Studies Foldables
Science Foldables
Dinah Zike's Foldables for Science
Math Foldables
Foldable Notebooks
Transmediation
Transmediation is switching information from one media to another. For example, if you read about something, you can then talk about it. Switching from print to the spoken word is transmediation. BUT we are dealing with visualization here, so find a short printed passage and create a visual interpretation of it. So, for example, you could have the directions for a movement in a sport, and draw a simple stick figure cartoon of the action. OR you could find a picture and convert it to words.
Visual Metaphor
A visual metaphor conveys a message by using a picture. The one I'm pasting here uses words, but they wouldn't be strictly necessary.
When I use visual metaphors for powerpoints, I usually enter the term I am trying to convey into Google images, and pick the best image for the concept that pops up. So, thinking of accounting, maybe I would want to portray accuracy, so I googled images of accuracy.
Come up with a concept you would try to convey to your students and find a visual metaphor to use.
Glogster
A Glogster is a multimedia poster. Your student can add words, pictures, sounds, video -- very engaging.
Click here to see an excellent example from Amanda Rockney:
http://mandyrockey.edu.glogster.com/glog-heredity/
Click here to see an excellent example from Katie Darr:
http://cdarr.edu.glogster.com/persuasive-media-/
Click here to see an excellent example from Travis Rettig:
http://rettigt.edu.glogster.com/weather-wall/
The first URL below is for glogs in general. The second URL is better for glogs created as school work.
Here's a tutorial for using glogs:
Watching Videos
Sometimes seeing something is more effective than just reading.
Khan Academy has around 2,700 videos on math and science:
Brain Pop is fun. Videos on all subjects. Some are free. $195.00 for classroom use.
Check your school's policy on the use of YouTube!
This is a link to You Tube's Teacher's Channel.
http://www.youtube.com/user/teachers?blend=7&ob=video-mustangbase
Grab videos off YouTube so you don't violate your school's policy:
http://youtubedownloader.com/ I haven't used this. Have you? Know of a better way?
Process Drama
There are many process drama (acting without an audience -- all students involved) activities. The video below shows a tableau. The teacher has a magic ability to make the frozen statues come to life. When she touches a character that person can say something that demonstrates a trait of that character.