Graphic Organisers

What are they?
devices that convert complex and messy information collections into meaningful displays [compress-focus-make interpretation]

GO = a supportive strategy for learning, as the brain naturally organises and stores information

GO form powerful visual pictures of information and allow for the mind 'to see' undiscovered patterns and relationships.

TYPES OF GRAPHIC ORGANISERS:

• Concept maps
• Time-sequence patterns
  eg. chain of events, time lines
• Cause-effect relationships
  eg. fishbone diagrams
• Comparisons
  eg. venn diagrams
• Free associations and links among ideas
  webs, mind maps
• Series of events related to each other
  life-cycle diagrams

• Hierarchical organizers, present main ideas and supporting details in ranking order,
• Comparative organizers, depict similarities among key concepts,
• Sequential organizers, illustrate a series of steps or place events in a chronological order,
• Diagrams, depict actual objects and systems in the real world of science and social studies (Marchand-Matella, et al., 1998),
• Cyclical organizers, depict a series of events that have no beginning or end,
• Conceptual organizers, include a main concept with supporting facts, evidence, or characteristics
  (Bromley, et al., 1998).

Paivio, 1991:  INFORMATION STORAGE
"dual-coding" theory (information is processed and stored in memory in 2 forms):

1.  Linguistic (words, statements)
2.  Non-linguistic, Visual