We are very good at assessing retrieval through multiple choice questions (MCQs): they are easy to write and quick to…
It’s Hand-Wavy, But in a Good Way
In class, I’m mostly watching hands. There’s a problem I like to set which gets people’s hands waving like windmills.…
ResearchEd Ipswich Presentation
I’m really excited to be presenting at ResearchEd Ipswich next weekend. I’m talking about the power of visuals in science…
Developing better diagrams for problem solving
This post about an approach to developing better diagrams for problem solving from Barbara Tversky’s book: Minds in Motion. I’ve…
Why Gestures are Important
This post summarises the findings of a paper by Barbara Tversky: Gestures for Thinking and Explaining (2005). The author demonstrates…
Cartoons and Abstract Visuals
Barbara Tversky (Minds in Motion) discusses the cognitive power of cartoons to explain abstract concepts. In these three images, I…
Using Visual Explanations Leads to Better Performance
I have been listening to Barbara Tversky’s wonderful new book: Mind in Motion, about the roots of thinking in the…
Up and Down the Ladder of Abstraction
Yesterday I wrote about the importance of physical, experiential knowlegde of physics: a sense of forces and flow; of motion…
A Visceral Hinterland in Physics
Underneath it all, physicists think with their bodies. They know what it feels like. Einstein described his approach to problem-solving…
A Short Booklet on What Research Says About Using Visuals in Teaching
Dear all, I have been thinking hard (and reading a lot) about using visualisations in class. Here is a booklet…
Reading for Learning 