The Cognitive Potentials of Visual Constructions

Students spend a lot of time taking notes of linear, compartmentalized “bits” of knowledge. Although efficient for the presentation of lectures and textbooks, rhis method destroys the richness of wo rid knowledge. In this paper I propose the use of visual constructions to help students to re-establish for themselves the unity of knowledge from bits of knowledge and to create “personalized meanings” to this knowledge. The benefits of notetaking and review are summarized, and a survey and summary of visual notetaking methods are provided. The cognitive potentials ofvisual constructions are summarized.