Guest Post: How Visual Thinking Can Aid in the Learning Process

There are many different ways to learn out there, and each of us has our unique ways of shaping and catering information to our particular needs in order to understand it.  One way that can be particularly useful is through the use of mind maps and conceptual diagrams.

These tools, many of which are available in free and innovative forms on the web can help learners of all kinds organize and understand information more effectively.  What about these forms of visual thinking help individuals to learn?

Here are a few key elements:

• It can help clarify thoughts. Using mind maps is a great way to flesh out ideas about a particular concept or idea for a paper or project. Students can write down a central idea and expand on it in using their own thoughts and interests, slowly working through it in a tangible way.

• It provides a forum to organize information. Visual thinking makes it simple for students to understand that information can be organized and grouped and thought of not only in its individual parts but in larger sections as well.

• It makes it easier to connect previous knowledge with new information. Visual representation can sometimes make it much easier to draw connections between what students already know and what they’re in the process of learning. It becomes more simple and obvious because they can see and manipulate the information in front of them. According to research, students remember information much better when it’s presented in both an oral and visual format.

• It can help focus ideas. Minds young and old alike can be all over the place when it comes to tying down a central idea about something exciting or interesting. Mapping these ideas out can help focus interest and aid in further study.

• It makes the abstract concrete. Many concepts can be difficult to understand in the purely conceptual realm but putting them down on paper or on a computer screen can make things really come together for many students, especially those who are visually oriented.

• It creates a structure for learning. Not only does it help structure learning activities but it draws on skills in writing, discussing, planning and analysis.  Better yet, when students are done they have a visual record of what they’ve learned.

This post was contributed by Kelsey Allen, who writes about graduate school scholarships.  She welcomes your feedback at KelseyAllen1010 yahoo.com.

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