{"id":2427,"date":"2017-10-20T16:23:25","date_gmt":"2017-10-20T16:23:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/johncanning.net\/wp\/?p=2427"},"modified":"2017-10-20T16:28:42","modified_gmt":"2017-10-20T16:28:42","slug":"presenting-learning-visually","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/johncanning.net\/wp\/?p=2427","title":{"rendered":"Representing learning visually"},"content":{"rendered":"

I\u2019ve been running workshops on research methods for some years now, but have done very little on visual research methods. My colleague Pauline Ridley recently ran a session on visual methods for our PGCert participants which I rather enjoyed. Visual methods can be useful in representing hard to verbalise experiences, visually abstract concepts and representing processes. Pauline was very keen to point out that the purpose of visual research methods is not for the researcher \u2018to interpret\u2019 visuals produced by others, but to use visual methods alongside methods focused on written or spoken language.<\/p>\n

My two attempts to draw the concept of \u2018learning\u2019 (as challenged by Pauline) appears below. (A discussion of my drawing abilities would require a more substantial blog post).<\/p>\n

\"Representing
Representing learning visually<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The first image represents a very traditional image of teaching and learning. A teacher (on the left) talks and \u2018transfers knowledge\u2019 to the seated student who makes notes. It is interesting that this was the first things that came to mind as I has spent many years emphasising the need to escape didactic knowledge-transfer approaches to learning and teaching.<\/p>\n

The second image was inspired by a remark made by Mark Goodwin who was my personal tutor during the second year of my geography degree at Aberystwyth. He said something to the effect, \u201cIt\u2019s called reading for a degree for a reason... you are supposed to read\u201d. (The image is supposed to be of a person reading a book). That utterance took less than 10 seconds to pass his lips, but it is something I\u2019ve never forgotten and pass onto others.<\/p>\n

Further Reading
\nPauline Ridley and Angela Rogers(2010) Drawing to learning series <\/a>(Open Access)<\/p>\n\n\n