Using pictures to elicit student viewpoints
From a Teaching and Learning Seminar, given at Murdoch University,
21st April 1998 by Dr Anne Jasman, School of Education.
Background
E206 Professional Development for Adult Educators provides an
introduction to teaching and learning in tertiary and adult education
settings. There are four modules: reflective practice; professional
skills for planning and implementation; assessment and evaluation
of student learning, teaching and curriculum, and a negotiated
learning project where students study a topic of personal professional
relevance. Lectures, seminars and workshops are conducted over
2 semesters. The idea of 'visual metaphors' as a technique for
eliciting student responses was used in this unit as part of the
final evaluation session for the internal students.
Visual metaphors
I first encountered this activity as part of a workshop on professional
development where it was used as a means of eliciting individual
understandings of professional development. I was struck by the
power of using a visual stimulus to provide rich and complex verbal
responses in elaborating a very difficult concept. I have since
collected a range of pictures which I use in a variety of contexts.
The selection of these has been driven by two considerations which
relate to the diversity of the groups I typically work with. First
I have tried to collect examples which are representative a different
ethnic and cultural backgrounds. Second I have included photographs
of landscapes, people, events, ceremonies, objects arranged as
'still life' and abstract images to provide a range of visual
metaphors which may appeal to the different learning styles, 'intelligences'
and understandings of students.
Examples of students' responses to the request to select the
'picture' which sums up the unit for them are included below
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The shadow of the saxophone player
I often found that what I was thinking about sort of got hazy/shadowy, as soon as I started to make it more concrete it became clearer. The movement in the picture and the shadow also made me think of the uncertainty I often feel - with my own understanding and reading of the 'picture'. I also felt that the picture represents something intangible a 'tune' cannot be seen - so we all learn in different ways.
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Scrabble
The idea that you could make lots more than one word (from the same letters), which can help create more information, jumbled up at first but I can order it to get the maximum number of points.
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White water rafting
This looks and feels like floundering, spray is like the 'gabble' in the beginning, the canoeist has to negotiate the rocks (readings) now it is a lot more fun paddling, the journey is what it is all about.
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English countryside
We have finished our climbing, on the way we have been to each house and now going out to the open fields of life and work. No more time now as we go down the hill (on a bike going to fast). A sense of loss of community and connections and so much more still to learn.
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What did I learn from these responses to the unit?
I learnt that I had really underestimated the diversity and depth
of response and learning within the unit. It had been a transformative
experience for several of the students. I also learnt that the
way the unit was structured did achieve its major objectives,
in particular, it enabled students to engage in reflection on
their professional learning and practices and embark on a continuing
journey of professional development.
References
Bovill, Moira, (1990) Basic Skills Numeracy, BBC Research
Information Desk, Woodlands UK;
Groundwater-Smith, S. & White, V., (1995) Improving Our
Primary Schools: Evaluation and Assessment through Participation,
Sydney: Harcourt Brace, p. 29.
Other ways of collecting feedback
Student Surveys Index
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