1. I See the Ideas: Visual Strategies for Teaching Research Concepts
Heidi Senior, University of Portland
Background
Transforming teaching: The case of THE 205, Biblical Traditions
Modeling the research process in other disciplines
Biblical Traditions is a required class at the University of Portland. Students write papers citing a variety of reference books and biblical commentaries . All “Bib Trad” students visit the library and receive similar research instruction. In Fall 2007 the librarians began incorporating visual techniques into instruction sessions.
Transformation: organization of information on handout
Transformation: Discussing strengths / types of resources
Brain-based research shows that some people – possibly the majority of people -- process new information in a visual way. They have difficulty accessing auditory information.
Before: Text-heavy
Before: Discussion of reference books and commentaries was text-heavy, and mostly auditory
Put the patron / librarian in the picture to demonstrate
Identifying subject databases
Using the database for help with search terms
(Communication Studies, Nursing, Education)
After: Discussion has auditory and visual components
After: visual
Kinesthetic? Auditory? Visual?
These are learning styles or modalities. A person who processes information visually can take in auditory information if it creates a picture.
Explaining primary, secondary, and tertiary information
(Nursing, Biology)
Photo courtesy of Keystone/Getty Images. Retrieved March 27, 2008 from Masterfile Premier database.
Piagetian Development Theory
Via visual communication, the learner moves from the pre-operational stage (focused on I/me) to concrete operational (reasoning logically) to formal operational (conceptualizing, or thinking symbolically).
Guiding students through locating books and other research materials (History)
References:
Arwood, E. L. (1991). Semantic and pragmatic language disorders. Gaithersburg, MD: Aspen Publishers.
Arwood, E. L., Kaakinen, J, & Wynne, A. L. (2002). Nurse educators: Using visual language. Tigard, OR: APRICOT, Inc.
Molnar, Andrew E., and Matthew J. Hertenstein. (2007). Piaget, Jean (1896–1980). Encyclopedia of Human Development. Retrieved April 9, 2008, from
Result: 40% drop in theology questions (vs. 10.4% drop in all reference questions)