Ebook: Visual Tools for Transforming Information Into Knowledge

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.