visual & philosophical pedagogy
DESCRIPTION
Philosophical pedagogies are typically based on abstract discussion of texts, and have remained largely unchanged throughout the history of the subject. However, there is a considerable body of research which suggests that this is unsuited to some learning styles and may discourage some students from prolonged study (AEL, 2003; Pashler et al, 2008). Many prefer to learn through visual cues and models alongside engaging with literature resources. Students with learning needs like dyslexia might find the emphasis on the written word to be a considerable barrier to philosophical study. Simultaneously, there are ever greater numbers of websites, apps and mashups dedicated to the study of philosophy which sometimes do little more than recreate printed materials in a digital environment. This presentation explores the potential for introducing and integrating visual pedagogies into teaching and learning philosophy by reviewing a number of different styles of visualization and their possible use in educational scenarios with a particular focus on education and the appropriate use of digital technologies.TRANSCRIPT
The Open University's Institute of Educational Technology
Visual and Philosophical PedagogiesRobert Farrow
Visual Learning: Communication-Cognition-CurriculumBudapest, December 7-8th 2012
The Open University's Institute of Educational Technology
Background & Method• My background as philosopher and educational technologist• Exploring possibilities to support access to philosophical
education through technology • Methodology: approximately 1 year spent searching for
relevant images which were archived to a Pinterest gallery; PHILOS-L query; researching data visualization techniques, accessibility software and pedagogical research
• http://pinterest.com/philosopher1978/philosophy-visualizations/
ci.olnet.org / http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oo3xPyoiwYg
The Open University's Institute of Educational Technology
The Open University's Institute of Educational Technology
Philosophical Pedagogy• Obviously there is no single pedagogy for philosophy• Typically based on collective, discussion of texts & ideas• May be synchronous or asynchronous• Some research suggests that traditional approaches may not
suit some learning styles (AEL, 2003; Pashler et al, 2008)• Massively Open Online Courses (MOOC) and the pedagogies
of the future
The Open University's Institute of Educational Technology
Digital Philosophy• Explosion in visual and media literacy in the computer age• More sites, databases and repositories dedicated to
philosophy than ever before• These tend to replicate rather than replace traditional model
• E.g. Library database -> Philosophers Index• Archiving of journal paper proofs• Lecture hall -> Video lectures, podcasts
• Need for new pedagogies which reflect the new ways in which we share and communicate through technology
The Open University's Institute of Educational Technology
Rationale• Many students find the emphasis on the written word to be a
barrier to learning philosophy• Most online resources supporting philosophy simply digitize
and scale up offline resources • Prospect of new pedagogies in philosophy:
• New techniques for recording & visualizing information• New technologies allow novel ways to access data
Visualizing Philosophy• Some examples in print…
• … and videos on YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/user/QualiaSoup
http://www.youtube.com/user/clmps2011 /
http://www.youtube.com/user/CollegeBinary?feature=watch
The Open University's Institute of Educational Technology
Visualizing Philosophy• Such examples are often accessible but typically thought
reductive – and perhaps even unhelpful – by professional philosophers
• Conversely, the allegorical tradition in art uses rich visual metaphors to convey complex philosophical ideas but can often be hard to decipher
The Open University's Institute of Educational Technology
Paolo Uccello, Annunciazione
(c.1425)
http:
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The Open University's Institute of Educational Technology
Ambrogio Lorenzetti, Allegoria ed effetti del Buono e del Cattivo Governo (1338-9)
http:
//w
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asan
tapi
a.co
m/a
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nzetti
/goo
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The Open University's Institute of Educational Technology
http:
//w
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a.co
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mbr
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nzetti
/goo
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Holbein The Younger, Double Portrait of Jean de Dinteville
and Georges de Selve (‘The Ambassadors’) (1533)
The Open University's Institute of Educational Technology
Visualization• “A visualization method is a systematic, rule-based,
external, permanent, and graphic representation that depicts information in a way that is conducive to acquiring insights, developing an elaborate understanding, or communicating experiences.”
(Lenger & Eppler, 2007:83)
The Open University's Institute of Educational Technology
Visualizing Philosophy: Issues• Accessibility without excessive dilution• Inertia within academic culture• What is to be visualized? Abstract concepts/ideas rather than
empirical ‘data’• How to be non-reductive?
• Visualization to support insight• Visualization as ‘distraction’
• The need to support & foster critical thinking
Visualizations
Visualizations: Timeline• Timelines can show the history of an idea, or the way in which
different philosophers have influenced each other• Some might argue that this information is not really relevant
to philosophical reflection(n.b. Heidegger’s remarks on Aristotle)
• However, many secondary philosophy books take a broadly historical approach and contextualise philosophical ideas
• Augmentation of existing resources
The Open University's Institute of Educational Technology
Visualizations: Timeline• Timeline
http://media-cache-ec6.pinterest.com/upload/50102614575124563_QbO4RpiM.jpg
400 BC
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1635
http://people.cohums.ohio-state.edu/scharp1/Sociology%20of%20Philosophy%20(Western)%203.1%20%20(part%202).jpg
The Open University's Institute of Educational Technology
Visualizations: Mnemonics
The Open University's Institute of Educational Technology
http:
//w
ww
.info
rmati
onis
beau
tiful
.net
/vis
ualiz
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s/rh
etol
ogic
al-fa
llaci
es/
The Open University's Institute of Educational Technology
http:
//w
ww
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rmati
onis
beau
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.net
/vis
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s/rh
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The Open University's Institute of Educational Technology
http:
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.net
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The Open University's Institute of Educational Technology
Visualizations: Representation• Graphical depiction of complex or abstract ideas• ‘Invisibility’ (analogy with HCI)• Can we explain philosophical theories simply through shape
and colour?• The possibility of an ‘iconic language’ (Neurath; 1936; Yadani
& Barker, 2000; Nyiri, 2003)
http:
//w
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http:
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http:
//w
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The Open University's Institute of Educational Technology
Visualizations: Network Diagrams• Network Diagrams depict connections between nodes (as in a
communication network)• Used to represent levels of granularity within a network
http:
//dr
unks
andl
ampp
osts
.file
s.w
ordp
ress
.com
/201
2/06
/phi
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4.pn
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The Open University's Institute of Educational Technology
http://people.cohums.ohio-state.edu/scharp1/Begriffsschrift.html
Frege’s Begriffsschrift
The Open University's Institute of Educational Technologyhttp://people.cohums.ohio-state.edu/scharp1/Hofstadter.html
The Open University's Institute of Educational Technologyhttp://ollieglass.com/tumblr/img/phil_exp_2_1.jpg
The Open University's Institute of Educational Technology
Visualizations: Organizational Framework• Hierarchical arrangement of information• Shows categorization, systematic dependencies and relations
of influence
The Open University's Institute of Educational Technology
Alfred H. Barr Jr. (1936) designed the original version of this organizational chart which shows the historical developments and fashions within modern art by hand.
He reworked it several times and never produced a final version (although the cover image of the catalogue for Cubism and Abstract Art remains iconic).
The Open University's Institute of Educational Technologyhttp:
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The Open University's Institute of Educational Technology
http://www.academia.edu/189874/A_Diagram_of_Kants_Critique_of_Pure_Reason
The Open University's Institute of Educational Technology
The Open University's Institute of Educational Technology
http:
//w
ww
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The Open University's Institute of Educational Technology
Visualizations: Mindmaps• Used to outline information visually• Major categories radiate from a central node, and lesser
categories are sub-branches of larger branches• Long history in brainstorming & problem solving• Non-linear• Can be connected to make concept maps• Well supported in terms of software
The Open University's Institute of Educational Technology
Comparative diagrams of selected bibliographies of philosophy from 1498 to 1905http://jitp.commons.gc.cuny.edu/philosophy-through-the-macroscope-technologies-representations-and-the-history-of-the-profession/
The Open University's Institute of Educational Technology
Visualizations: Flow Charts• Diagrammatic reasoning• Pathways into ideas (logic gates)• Reduced possibilities for criticism, reflection or asking
questions? Maybe not more so than a lecture…• Again, well supported by software intended for dyslexic
students
http:
//vi
sual
.ly/fi
nd-o
ut-w
hat-y
ou-a
re
The Open University's Institute of Educational Technology
Possibilities for Innovation• New forms of pedagogical support• New ways to navigate data: bibliographies, databases, etc.• Curriculum & Learning Design• Access:
–Accommodating learning styles–Delivery through ubiquitous technologies–Pathways into the subject–Connectivity & ‘Openness’
The Open University's Institute of Educational Technology
New (?) Pedagogies• Collective creation of new kinds of digital artefacts• New forms of collective activity in curriculum design• Student work which is not based in writing or discussion• Iconic languages for facilitating philosophical
reflection/understanding• Opening the subject up to non-specialists/interdisciplinarity
The Open University's Institute of Educational Technology
Critique• Philosophy is simply not about retaining information• Philosophy, reflection and ‘facts’• Reification and the need for participatory culture• None of this is particularly unique to philosophy… though
perhaps this indicates a breadth of opportunity• Should the visual approach be limited to introductory
materials? If not, we need to build new tools and digital artifacts
[email protected] of Educational TechnologyThe Open UniversityWalton HallMilton KeynesMK7 6AAwww.open.ac.uk/iet
philosopher1978