UNDERSTANDING VISUAL LEARNING

July 25, 2016

Regular readers of these posts know that I spend a lot of time praising the virtues of visual-based e-Learning. I think that it is the master key designed to fit most effectively into today’s dominant learning culture.

What do others say?

Here’s a couple of examples:

“We are now in the age of visual information where visual content plays a role in every part of life. As 65 percent of the population is visual learners, images are clearly key to engaging people in eLearning courses. . . .

Visuals Stick in Long-Term Memory

They Transmit Messages Faster

. . . And Improve Comprehension

Visual Cues Trigger Emotions

Visuals Motivate Learners”

(SHIFT’s eLearning Blog, “Studies Confirm the Power of Visuals in eLearning,” posted by Karla Gutierrez)

And from a blogspot posting by Shalini Grover, “Benefits of video based e-learning”:

“Learning is a social process. It involves active acquisition of new knowledge and understanding through group and peer interaction — the key learning skill being communication.

Human beings gain much of their initial understanding of others through our sensory capabilities — both visual and auditory. According to some studies the written word only communicates 7% of what we mean. Voice tones and inflections can account for as much as 38% of the understanding a normal conversation. Where you place emphasis speaks volumes that are very hard to accomplish with words only in PowerPoint slides. With video you can add another 55% to understanding. Video allows you to include all those body language cues we all use — the smile, the twinkle of the eye, the raised eyebrow, the lean, the crossed arms, the tilt of the head. The instantaneousness of moving image and impact of human voice is very powerful.”

Why all this emphasis on visual-based learning?

Currently, nearly two-thirds of our citizens are at risk because of the changing job requirements in America.

Print materials and live-lecture instruction have generally failed to address the learning needs of this majority.

In terms of literacy, according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress issued by the Department of Education, only 25 percent of this nation’s fourth graders and only 34 percent of our high school seniors are able to form opinions from what they read.

It is also not insignificant to note that more than 35 million working adults are functionally illiterate — that is, they cannot read above a third or fourth grade level.

Visual learning can equip individuals with marketable skills, allowing them to free themselves from public assistance rolls and giving under-employed adults the tools to gain promotions.

For most adult workers and students alike — knowledgeably designed media instruction, with full motion video, graphic animations and optional word-for-word audio, is the best way to achieve learning success.

“THE WORLD RELIES ON THE HANDS OF ITS MEN AND WOMEN”

(This is a personal blog. Any views or opinions represented in this blog are personal and belong solely to the blog owner, jhbillwalton@gmail.com, an independent consultant. They do not represent those of people, institutions or organizations that the owner may or may not be associated with in a professional or personal capacity.)