Instructional design/R2D2/(Displaying)-Visual

Phase 3 is focused on visual learners and providing all learners an opportunity to represent what they have learned. Many of us, when faced with learning a difficult task, have been helped with the use of visual aids, charts, figures, and tables. Visuals can be used to help learners master a concept, but they also can be used so that learners can show the learning taking place as they complete a course/training. (A wonderful example of this is in Segment 2 of this training where there was a link provided to a visual representation of this model.) Utilizing active knowledge construction strategies like having learners make concept maps leads to memories that can be easily recalled rather than learning that was passively received.

Visual learning activities can easily be integrated with other activities. When combined with other instructional strategies like podcasts or written text, dual encoding takes place and learning occurs more deeply and is more easily recalled by learners. This may make visual activities difficult to recognize as being phase 3, so specifically watch for ways that learners are either acquiring knowledge or displaying knowledge through a visual.

The authors recognize that this phase of the R2D2 model is more than likely the least developed. There are many reasons why this is so, but bandwidth and/or hardware/software for producing these activities may be lacking. As the Internet continues to grow in popularity and as individuals develop easier and less expensive ways for producing this type of content, they believe that this may be the phase of the model with the greatest potential for growth.

Below are some examples of visual learning:


 * Pictures (Photographs)
 * Animations (Learners only watch, but are unable to manipulate these moving images. Here is a sample on DNA replication:  http://www.mcb.harvard.edu/losick/images/trombonefinald.swf)
 * Videos (Learners create their own videos of the content.)
 * Graphics (Created pictures, not photographs.)
 * Flowcharts (Learners create linked boxes that show relationships and/or steps in a process. Sample flowcharts: http://www.rff.com/flowchart_samples.htm)
 * Diagrams (Pictures with labels. Here is the human heart: http://www.rkm.com.au/anatomy/heart.html)
 * Charts (Graphical representation of data. This article has a number of well-constructed charts:  http://christianschooljournal.com/?p=526)
 * Virtual Tours (Museums are now hosting these. How about visiting the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History?  http://www.mnh.si.edu/panoramas/flashVersion/index.html)
 * Maps

Please click on the "Segment 6" link to proceed to the next segment in this Wikiversity lesson on the R2D2 model.

R2D2 Navigation


 * Segment 1: Introduction to R2D2
 * Segment 2: R2D2-The Four Phases Overview
 * Segment 3: Phase 1 (Reading)-Verbal/Auditory
 * Segment 4: Phase 2 (Reflecting)-Reflective/Observational
 * Segment 5: Phase 3 (Displaying)-Visual (You are here)
 * Segment 6: Phase 4 (Doing)-Hands-On
 * Segment 7: Activities per phase
 * Segment 8: Your thoughts...
 * Segment 9: Conclusion/Resources
 * Instructional Design Main Menu