Visual Tools for Transforming Information Into Knowledge

Description

Describes a variety of visual tools, such as brainstorming webs, graphic organizers, conceptual mapping, and thinking maps, that help students develop and improve critical thinking and study skills, creativity, and comprehension; and offers advice on using them in the classroom. Includes examples.;Foreword / Robert J. Marzano -- Prologue / Arthur L. Costa -- Summary definition of visual tools -- Introduction: transforming static information into active knowledge -- Blind insights -- Right now: jumping the achievement gap for all children -- Overview of the book -- 1. The mapping metaphor. Cognitive dissonance in representation systems ; The elephant in the room ; The mapping metaphor: terra incognita ; Mapping the brain ; Visual tools for map making ; The foundation of the mapping metaphor: seeing -- 2. Facilitating the networking brain and the patterning mind. Nonlinguistic and linguistic representations ; Research studies on graphic organizers ; Reading comprehension and reading first research ; Mapping living systems ; The brain is a pattern detector ; The visual brain ; The mind organizes into schematic patterns ; Multiple intelligences as active patterns ; Habits of mind -- 3. Using visual tools. Clarifying a confusion of terms and tools ; Content-specific visual tools ; Defining visual tools ; Theory-embedded tools ; Types of visual tools ; Reviewing your tool kit ; Choosing appropriate visual tools ; The importance of student ownership of visual tools ; Saving time ; Constructing knowledge in cooperative groups ; Beyond blueprints, templates, and blackline masters -- 4. Brainstorming webs for facilitating the creative mind. Flow of information and knowledge ; Thinking in pictures ; The brain and brainstorming ; The misconceptions about brainstorming webs ; Webs for facilitating habits of the mind ; Software for brainstorming webs ; Brainstorming webs for collaborative reflection / David Schumaker ; Mind mapping ; Viewing book reviews ; Mindscapes from metaphors ; Seeking personal growth -- 5. Graphic organizers for analytical tasks. An overview of graphic organizers / Greg Freeman ; Comparing graphic organizers and brainstorming webs ; Organizers for habits of mind ; Chunking, memory, and the organizing brain ; Content-specific graphics as an advanced organizer ; Process specific maps ; The big picture organizers ; Mapping lesson plans ; Design and understanding -- 6. Conceptual mapping for integrating creative and analytical thinking ; Thinking about the box ; Habits of mind and conceptual maps ; When thinking became popular ; Novak and Gowin's concept mapping techniques ; The inductive tower ; Argument maps and rationale / Tim Van Gelder ; Feedbacks and flows in the system ; Connection circles / Rob Quaden and Alan Ticotsky ; Systems thinking ; Leaving tracks ; An integration of visual representations: teaching with unit visual frameworks -- 7. Thinking maps: a synthesis language of visual tools ; A short history of thinking maps ; Defining thinking maps as a language ; Five levels of thinking maps implementation ; Differentiated thinking patterns for English-language learners / Stefanie Holzman ; Essential cognitive questions based in standards ; From students and teachers to leadership development and whole-schools transformations ; The role of thinking maps in the process of becoming a professional learning community / Larry Alper ; Whole-system change -- 8. Thinking maps for special needs / Cynthia Manning ; Thinking maps give me a chance to learn: learning prep student ; Background on learning prep school ; Developing the fundamental psychology processes through thinking maps ; Thinking maps and high-stakes testing ; Teachers and students see the success ; Thinking maps and "the real world" -- In conclusion -- References and further reading -- Index. Foreword / Robert J. Marzano -- Prologue / Arthur L. Costa -- Summary definition of visual tools -- Introduction: transforming static information into active knowledge -- Blind insights -- Right now: jumping the achievement gap for all children -- Overview of the book -- 1. The mapping metaphor. Cognitive dissonance in representation systems The elephant in the room The mapping metaphor: terra incognita Mapping the brain Visual tools for map making The foundation of the mapping metaphor: seeing -- 2. Facilitating the networking brain and the patterning mind. Nonlinguistic and linguistic representations Research studies on graphic organizers Reading comprehension and reading first research Mapping living systems The brain is a pattern detector The visual brain The mind organizes into schematic patterns Multiple intelligences as active patterns Habits of mind -- 3. Using visual tools. Clarifying a confusion of terms and tools Content-specific visual tools Defining visual tools Theory-embedded tools Types of visual tools Reviewing your tool kit Choosing appropriate visual tools The importance of student ownership of visual tools Saving time Constructing knowledge in cooperative groups Beyond blueprints, templates, and blackline masters -- 4. Brainstorming webs for facilitating the creative mind. Flow of information and knowledge Thinking in pictures The brain and brainstorming The misconceptions about brainstorming webs Webs for facilitating habits of the mind Software for brainstorming webs Brainstorming webs for collaborative reflection / David Schumaker Mind mapping Viewing book reviews Mindscapes from metaphors Seeking personal growth -- 5. Graphic organizers for analytical tasks. An overview of graphic organizers / Greg Freeman Comparing graphic organizers and brainstorming webs Organizers for habits of mind Chunking, memory, and the organizing brain Content-specific graphics as an advanced organizer Process specific maps The big picture organizers Mapping lesson plans Design and understanding -- 6. Conceptual mapping for integrating creative and analytical thinking Thinking about the box Habits of mind and conceptual maps When thinking became popular Novak and Gowin's concept mapping techniques The inductive tower Argument maps and rationale / Tim Van Gelder Feedbacks and flows in the system Connection circles / Rob Quaden and Alan Ticotsky Systems thinking Leaving tracks An integration of visual representations: teaching with unit visual frameworks -- 7. Thinking maps: a synthesis language of visual tools A short history of thinking maps Defining thinking maps as a language Five levels of thinking maps implementation Differentiated thinking patterns for English-language learners / Stefanie Holzman Essential cognitive questions based in standards From students and teachers to leadership development and whole-schools transformations The role of thinking maps in the process of becoming a professional learning community / Larry Alper Whole-system change -- 8. Thinking maps for special needs / Cynthia Manning Thinking maps give me a chance to learn: learning prep student Background on learning prep school Developing the fundamental psychology processes through thinking maps Thinking maps and high-stakes testing Teachers and students see the success Thinking maps and "the real world" -- In conclusion -- References and further reading -- Index.