The visualiser has been around for some time; however, recent events have seen a surge in the use of visualisers in classrooms. The equipment is used to project a high-definition image of what is being viewed through the visualiser lens to a central screen, which includes a realm of other features such as video recording, time-lapse, and more.
If adopted and used effectively the visualiser will prove to be a very helpful tool in helping students maximise their learning and improve engagement in STEM subjects including Design Technology as well as many other lessons.
A perfect tool for teaching D&T. The visualiser will enable you to…
As well as the functionality above, the equipment will enable teachers to try new techniques that will improve productivity and save teaching time. One of the biggest benefits is using a visualiser to support peer and self-assessment to provide Live Feedback – enabling teachers to give on the spot, real-time feedback of student works. Demonstrating the correct way of doing something or the correct answer, then getting students to amend their work there and then saves teaching time, reduces marking time, and will improve both productivity and comprehension.
.Demonstrating an example of what something ‘should’ look like is an excellent method for getting students to collaborate and discuss what they like. This can work well the other way, asking students what they think could be improved? Work can be presented anonymously if preferred. It is proven that showcasing students top performing work on screen and to the entire class can have extremely positive effects on building confidence and motivation to learn, work well and can even increase self-efficacy.
An aid to focusing…
Cognitive Load Theory considers the working memory and how students learning can slow or stop completely if presented with too much information – causing them to ‘overload’ because the brain can no longer process all information being given. If given irrelevant information whilst learning it can overload and clog the working memory, meaning they will remember the irrelevant parts rather than the fundamental information – this is known as the Redundancy Effect. The visualiser eliminates this because it removes the unnecessary information that can constrain concise learning through other tools such as PowerPoint presentations.
Enabling teachers to focus on emphasising important information that students need to learn – ultimately replacing irrelevant information from focus and replacing it with key learning outcomes. This organised and structured way of teaching will help children absorb information that is then transferred and stored to the long-term memory, resulting in easy recall when they need it.
Introducing the use of visualisers is also known to help with the development of students metacognitive learning. Enabling teachers to develop their teaching techniques clearly and in real-time, encourages problem-solving and answering questions raised, ultimately resulting in students gaining knowledge and of the topic and strategy which means they will be much more likely to transfer this knowledge to other problems of a similar nature.
Addressing all learning styles… getting the best out of everyone!
You may already be aware that there are several different styles when it comes to learning and the learning style of an individual student will vary across four main types:
Students may be solely aligned to one of the above learning styles, however, in many cases children will learn through a few styles with one being more predominant. The visualiser tackles all four learning styles through one tool, keeping students of all abilities engaged throughout lessons.
COVID-19 took the world by storm. Even though restrictions have eased, it is still crucial that we reduce risk where possible and the use of a visualiser in classrooms is an excellent solution for distance learning and minimising crowding. Reducing group work in regards to a physical space doesn’t mean you have to reduce opportunities for collaboration between your students – in fact considering all of the benefits spoken about earlier in the blog, it can be used as a tool for encouraging collaborative classroom learning. It does not mean students can’t present their findings in front of the class or even via video for other students to share and join in the conversation, with or without teacher intervention.
Due to the incredibly high resolution of the Joyusing classroom visualiser, you’re able to zoom in really closely. If you are using picture sources or stimulus, or even doing an activity demonstrating a circuit board in electronics, or demonstrating yarns into single fibres in textiles or simply learning how to use the sewing machine.
In resistant materials, it’s an excellent tool for demonstrating finishing techniques. Brush styles in Art and Design can be clearly and concisely displayed to the whole class. Having the capability to highlight minute details to students opens up a whole extra world of discovery.
Whereas previously, you may have used static images or huddled them around a table, using your visualiser to zoom in on details and project them means that you can pick out details that were previously difficult to access.
Although a fundamental piece of equipment when it comes to demonstrating and recording D&T practical’s, techniques and materials, the visualiser can be used across most, if not all subjects.
It allows the teacher to model, demonstrate, give live feedback and marking, time-lapse and record with to the whole class quickly and easily. Tried and tested by teachers across all subjects and works perfectly in any lesson. Sharing best practice and resources across the school means it is an excellent whole school purchase but is also great for sharing live videos and experiments with other schools.
An investment in this equipment by one department can be shared and enjoyed by colleagues across the school.
