Diane,
These types of learning cues really help the students stay focused as well as giving them a sequence of progress in terms of knowledge acquisition.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
It gives the students the opportunity to understand the key concepts of the material covered for lecture
The scaffolding strategy does catch on and does keep them on target just like a semantic map when the students need to write it is a starting point.
My favorite is the scaffolding can be use from Kindegarten all the way through College it is like a step by step building block.
These pictures can help the student follow a step by step plan to study
James,
Good points about the value of using graphic organizers. They really help students to see the key concepts and how those concepts fit within the learning structure. Gives them a graphic road map to follow.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
Graphic organizers offer a great opportunity to be creative by using a wide variety of items to bring attention to main points and supporting material.
One can use a variety of chart types and enhance them with icons, cartoon-like figures, and other unique graphics which catch the students' attention and aid in recall.
They also provide an excellent way of demonstrating processes. Students can be shown the effect of each stage (cause) in a process. It's like putting a puzzle together so that the student sees each piece, the forming of sections and, finally, the complete process.
Graphic Organizers also put the intellectual material into a physical, visual format which a student might not be able to do in his head.
William,
Good point. Most instructors do know their content at such a intense and in-depth level. By having our students use graphic organizers we can help them connect the content to sequence and then application in a way that makes sense.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
Going through this section I realised that I know my subject matter so well that I dont need the graphic organizers, but they are a fundimental part of the technical problem solving and design organization. I need to use them more.
In the same way utilization of the graphic organizers help me simplify complicated and sequential materials such as effect of a medication on different organs or sequence of a hormone action. By providing a visual point of reference, graphic helps the students easily see steps, sequences of the learning objective.
Carol,
This bridge to real world application is so important for students to be able to walk across. They need to develop their critical thinking skills because they will be using them for the duration of their health care career.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
In my field of health care it can help them to see the system and how it works to maintain health or contribute to a disease process occurring
Suzanne,
Graphic organizers really help in this area, don't they? The students can see how the different segments fit together to complete the big picture of learning.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
I use it as a review of the material covered. This helps them break down the information to aid in their studying.
Monica,
These are the characteristics of my students as well and as a result I use the same approach as you are using. It has proven to be very successful for me as I am able to help the students integrate the information into their working memories.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
Base on the demographics of my students the majority are visual and kinesthetic learners. Therefore the content of my lectures usually includes power-point presentations as well as applied application.
Monica,
This is the case with my students as well. The majority are visual learners so I strive to make a lot of my content visual in presentation and application.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
Joseph,
Good advice for instructors to consider. They are valuable to for all types of learners.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
The majority of students that I have taught thus far are visual learners. Therefore, using graphic organizers to enhance the students learning ability is ideal. Utilizing charts and graphs to emphasize important data can help the students focus on the main parts of the lecture / new material being taught. It helps them to decode then record the new material.
You might want to look at them and how they can be used to assist students in organization and note taking. They are simple to use with a high return rate of retention for students.
