Abstract

This book discusses through a variety of disciplinary contexts and lenses, the importance of using visuals to actively engage learners in the virtual learning and face-to-face (f2f) environment. It presents educators’ reflections on their teaching and student learning from both a theoretical as well as a practical perspective. It discusses recent research into learning styles and emerging technologies, which have moved towards the need for providing in higher education a more innovative, personalised online learning space. The importance of providing a scaffold online learner support system will be outlined, alongside the practical examples of how this can be achieved. The use of colour coding, iconography, video sharing and digital mind maps in elearning are discussed, as well as the use of sign posting, worked examples and multiple entry points and other visual learning methods to direct learning are explained. Specific references will be made as to how these tools can be used to promote students to be more collaborative as well as self-directed in their learning, while having the opportunity to both contextualise their understanding and to promote knowledge transfer. Case studies will be presented on how educators have innovatively used technology to visually represent the learning process and to insight further understanding of the materials to be learnt, with the emphasis on ‘the visual’ as a method of encapsulating the knowledge to be learnt and as the instigator to insight curiosity and creative thinking in the 21st century learner.