Visual Learning

This week I learned about visual learning.  As a visual learner myself, I wish teachers would have had the access to tools like this when I was in school.  I know that students have all different types of learning styles and I truly believe there is a lot of sense in incorporating visual learning in the classroom.   My brother is a special education teacher and while discussing this topic with him one day he had mentioned this story.  One of his fellow teachers was having a very difficult time getting her students to listen while she gave them instructions to follow for an assignment.  As an experiment, she decided to record herself saying the exact same information she would say in front of the class and upload it onto YouTube.  When she played the video for her students, all of them sat down, were quiet and listened intently to her instructions.  Students today are use to finding the answers to their questions online, so why not send them the message in a manner they are use to receiving.

                Although I know there are many ways I can incorporate visual learning into my role as an Admissions Counselor, it is fall and I have my families pumpkin farm on the brain.  So for this assignment, I created a YouTube video my family’s business, Zedland Farm.   I spent the day recording our animals, taking scenic videos and recording footage of our hayride.  This is a great addition to put up on our website.  It can show people a sneak peak of what they will find on the farm and invite them to visit our website and hopefully come on out and see it firsthand.   Now that I know how easy it is, I will definitely be doing this again as we add more features each year.

Pixlr Editor and Pixlr Express was the second tool I learned more about this week.  It is super easy to use and once I start, I can see myself spending hours using this tool.  I have always loved photography and this gives me the chance to play around will all the tools and try out all the different ways to enhance my pictures.

                In my current job, I can see myself using these tools to create postcard invitations for preview days.  Right now, I use Microsoft Publisher, which has some limitations.  This would allow me to manipulate the pictures I use and really customize them the way I want them to look.  As a background in these pictures, we like to use a scenic picture of campus; I could use either of these tools to really enhance the picture to make them pop.  When students receive them in the mail, we want them to see something that draws their eye in so they can’t help but take a second look at.