Rationale

In a visually-saturated world (Beaudry, 2015, p.56), one can say

visualization is arguably the most crucial aspect of learning. When
experiencing the web, one uses the eyes as the primary sense, and
therefore the visual presentation of a website is very important for users
to understand the message or of the communication taking place. Visual
aids can play a large role in how the audience understands and takes in
information that is presented.
Visual learning and digital learning go hand in hand in the classroom
to teach all domains of the curriculum. To mention a few, the Literacy
strand in the English Curriculum stipulates that students present their
work in a multimodal manner (ACARA 2015). In the Foundation to Year 2
Digital Technologies content descriptor ACTDIK002, students are required
to represent data as pictures, symbols and diagrams (ACARA 2015). In
years 3 and 4 students have to recognise different types of data and
explore how the same data can be represented in different ways,
recognising that numbers, text, images, sounds, animations and videos
are all forms of data when stored or viewed using a digital system
(ACTDIK008, ACARA 2015).
There are several advantages in using visual and digital tools in the
classroom. They have the ability to showcase new, abstract, novel and
complex concepts in a fun interactive way, provoke discussion, connect
learners with culturally relevant events, connect the learning with real

world events and facts and experience worlds beyond their own. Using
both visual and verbal communication, it helps the students to increase
their memory of key points as well as organise information for a written
text.
According to Beaudry (2016 p.56) when you use templates to create
visuals you are at a literate stage and not yet a fluent user. Fluent users
create unique and creative visual artefacts that serve a specific purpose.
In my online presentation I did all my visual artefacts from scratch. I
believe teachers should be fluent users of digital technologies in order to
convey the digital knowledge to the students as well as assess their work
effectively.
In my online presentation I used several visual tools to communicate
and engage with the audience. I used a Word Cloud as my title. This
makes it visually appealing and inviting. It also serves the purpose of
activating prior knowledge about the subject and gives a preview of the
content. I strategically used pictures of cute puppies because who doesnt
love puppies? Besides adding pictures to dress my website up, I also
incorporated pictures of the robot at different stages to make it easier for
the audience to follow and understand what Im trying to communicate. In
the case of implementation, the picture of the coding blocks make it
easier to show this complex concept. I tried to use pictures with a Creative
Commons license and attributed all my pictures accordingly. I also used
diagrams of the table with the arrows to show what the robot is meant to
do to further explain the idea and ensure the audience is following. It

would be extremely difficult to understand if I simply wrote it in words. I

used a Power Point Presentation with audio to show how I built my
prototype. Slideshows are a great tool to combine text, graphics and
multi-media in your presentations.
Visual Communication helps to inform, engage and entice the
audience and achieve the response wanted from your target. Visual
language tells a story and in days like these where we have seen an
explosion of visual input, visual communication has become far more
effective than just plain words not only in web design and commercials
but also in the classroom. Our eyes are made to like the pleasing colours
of the rainbow, colours make us happy and cheerful. Teachers should use
different visual modalities in the classroom to enhance thinking, problem
solving and communication. Digital technologies are a great tool to access
and create professional and effective visual communication.

Reference
ACARA (Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority).
(2015). Digital Technologies. Retrieved from:
http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/technologies/digitaltechnologies/curriculum/f-10?layout=1
ACARA (Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority).
(2015). English. Retrieved from:
http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/english/curriculum/f-10?
layout=1
Pedagogy in action (2012). Why Use Media to Enhance Teaching and
Learning. Retrieved from:
http://serc.carleton.edu/sp/library/media/why.html
Younie, Sarah; Leask, Marilyn; Burden, Kevin (2015). Teaching and
Learning with ICT in the Primary School. London, UK: Routledge