VISUALIZATION IN EDUCATION - Support for the Cognitive Processes in Understanding and Learning

Abstract

This paper presents examples illustrating the shortcomings of verbal communication, in particular in new contexts, within heterogeneous groups, and in complex situations. In a rapidly changing, multi cultural, and complex world, the words are interpreted differently by different people and at different times. Our understanding of the words is grounded in our own accumulated experience, our perceptions from all senses from different situations. It is a tradition in many academic disciplines to base the teaching and the courses solely on textbooks and verbal communication. Many project models are based upon delivery of text documents assumed to convey information, or understanding, from one project phase to the other. Today there are good reasons and also good possibilities to use visualization, or perceptualization if not only vision is involved, by means of computer systems to enable better communication and understanding.