NEWSLETTER - No. 7

January, 2008

Content:

1. Groupdicussions with learners within the project „visuaLearning“
2. Visual methods in teaching – the EU-project „visuaLearning“ presented selected methods of teaching to a professional audience during the qualified workshop “Alphabetization and Basic Education at Volkshochschulen” in Düsseldorf.

1. Groupdicussions with learners within the project „visuaLearning“

Within the scope of the EU-project „visuaLearning“ a total of 12 group discussions have been realized in the participating countries.

The following topics were discussed:

• Preference of media
• Experiences with pictures, symbols und pictograms in every day life and in class
• Learning styles of the participants
• Applicability/usefulness of learned skills in every day life
• Participants requests of topics
• Learning biographies and target groups.

With regard to the learners in the field of literacy and basic education the following results can be presented (in very short form):

• The use of television predominates significantly in the target group (participants of basic education and literacy courses). The television serves to bridge the gap, because it is used in a supporting way for the understanding of language and writing of the learners.
• All experiences with pictures, symbols and pictograms derive from the learners everyday life. Here, differences between the city and rural areas are noticeable. Pictures, brands and logos from advertisements are not important for the target group.
• In all discussions the orientation function and/or achievement of pictures for the target group becomes extremely visible. Apart from pictures colours are mentioned as well.
• Migrants are sometimes able to read writings and/or terms, however, are sometimes not able to understand them. They are often able to construe the meaning with visual impressions. Functional illiterates very often find their way only with the help of visual impressions.
• The computer is not used in private life by the target group, even if they are at their disposal in some households.
• In the target groups, the visual learning style predominates, which is partly mixed with further learning preferences. Very often the learners are not aware of their own learning style.
• The importance of informal learning has a great significance in all learning biographies and the learners are aware of it. Media are specifically used to obtain information and take on a special education function. Here the visual competence is very well developed by most of the learners.
• Concerning visual learning the learners have mostly an everyday life knowledge at their disposal (i.e. the merely practical visual orientation in everyday life).

The results of the group discussions have been considered in „Visual Learning Concept for Qualification Workshop – Guide for Trainers” and the qualification workshop “visuaLearning”.

Note: The results containing statements of the learners concerning the importance of visual learning have been summarized in a report and will be published on our website and a CD-Rom.

2. Visual methods in teaching – the EU-project „visuaLearning“ presented selected methods of teaching to a professional audience during the qualified workshop “Alphabetization and Basic Education at Volkshochschulen” in Düsseldorf.

Under the title „Alphabetization and Basic Education at Volkshochschulen: From Emancipation to Schoolification? New concepts – New opportunities” a qualified workshop took place in Düsseldorf on January the 26th.

In her address to the audience, the representative of the ministry of school and education of the state of Northrhine-Westphalia, Heike Maschner stressed the importance of basic education and entered into the initiative of the federal ministry of education, which started a research programm “Alphabetization/Basic Education”. There is the possibility of further activities in Northrhine-Westphalia.

The EU-project „visuaLearning“ presented two workshops and introduced selected methods, as well as common elements and principles of image design for visualization in teaching.

The interested and qualified audience was invited to apply practically visual methods such as „Clustering”, “Mind-Mapping“, „Cognitive maps“, „Storytelling“, „Coaching of ideas” and creative techniques with new media as „MindManager“ and „FreeMind“ and discuss different ways of application in teaching. Valuable experiences could be exchanged. The participants contributed to the workshop with a range of examples and advices for the use of methods and created an informative and productive atmosphere.

Regarding the topic „visual learning“ and the employment of methods we suggest the following information, which will be published soon on our homepage:

• Reader concerning the workshop „visuaLearning“
• Visual Learning Concept for Qualification Workshop – Guide for Trainers
• Gallery of examples of application

Note: Still during spring the EU-project „visuaLearning“ will offer a full day workshop concerning this topic in cooperation with the association of Volkshochschulen of the state of Northrine-Westphalia e.V.

You will obtain further information in our next newsletter.

Contacts::
Project-coordinator:
Deutsches Institut für Erwachsenenbildung (DIE)
German Institute for Adult Education (DIE)
Friedrich-Ebert-Allee 38 53113 Bonn
Germany
T (+) 49 228 3294-306
F (+) 49 228 3294-399
Contact person: Monika Tröster
Website: www.die-bonn.de/visual

Partner:

FiaTest Bucharest
FiaTest Group
Str. Transilvaniei 24
Sector 1 Bucharest
Romania
T (+) 40 21 312-1347
F (+) 40 21 312-2106
Contact person: Simona Gitu
Website: www.fiatest.ro

Instytut Technologii Eksploatacji
Państwowy Instytut Badawczy (ITeE-PIB)
Institute for Sustainable Technologies
National Research Institute
ul. Pulaskiego 6/10
26-600 Radom
Poland
T (+) 48 48 3644-241 ext: -205
F (+) 48 48 3644-760, 36447-65
Contact person: Malgorzata Kacprzak
Website: www.itee.radom.pl

National Adult Literacy Agency (NALA)
76 Lower Gardiner Street
Dublin 1
Ireland
T (+) 353 1 8099-191
F (+) 353 1 8555-475
Contact person: Fergus Dolan
Website: www.nala.ie
www.literacytools.ie (adult literacy learning and tuition website)

Atrium Research & Innovation Ltd
The Reflexion Foundation
Hofdwarsweg 12
6161 DD Geleen
The Netherlands
T (+) 31 46 4106-374
F (+) 31 46 4106-375
Contact person: Joost Thissen
Website: http://www.atriumbv.nl