Abstract
In this chapter I look at the way we think of communication and suggest that there is an over-reliance upon linguistic and textual modes at the expense of visual and spatial modes of communication. I argue that schools fail to grasp the significance of the visual nature of communication and the implications for learning within STEM subjects. After making an argument for the importance of visuospatial forms, I provide an extensive review of the cognitive and psychological literature covering various key aspects of visualisation and how it relates to teaching STEM subjects in early secondary education. It is likely that much of this will be novel to STEM teachers yet provides us with new possibilities for opening up classroom pedagogy.
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Gates, P. (2018). The Importance of Diagrams, Graphics and Other Visual Representations in STEM Teaching. In: Jorgensen, R., Larkin, K. (eds) STEM Education in the Junior Secondary. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-5448-8_9
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