Visual Learning Lab Supports Effective Teaching and Learning

It seems that the UK is often on the cutting edge of using multimedia technology in education.

Here is a quote from the Visual Learning Lab website, at the University of Nottingham about ways the Humanities department is using visual learning technologies:

‘Showing Seeing Centre’ & ‘Visual Analysis Lab’

"Archaeology and Classics are both highly visual disciplines. In order to further develop the use of visual in teaching and learning, the VLL supports the creation of two new facilities, the Showing Seeing Centre and the Visual Analysis Lab."

"The Showing Seeing Centre will provide a context for students to work with visual resources using 3D-enabled computers for access to virtual reconstructions of archaeological sites and ancient civilizations, e.g. in gaming environments. Students will also have access to a range of equipment for digitzing and analysing visual material and for producing presentations and portfolio material. The equipment provided by the VLL consists of a wall-mounted LCD-screen, 4 high-spec laptops, a
high-spec A4-scanner, colour laser printer and a Playstation."

"The Visual Analysis Lab will provide facilities for teaching and learning in relation to the identification of archaeological remains (such as plant materials, animal bones and ceramics). The equipment provided by the VLL consists of two high- quality microscopes linked to digital cameras, a laptop and a data projector."

A 2007 report (pdf) from the University of Nottingham's Visual Learning Lab reviews of how visual learning technology will be used by departments such as pharmacy, veterinary medicine, medical sciences, modern language and cultures, biosciences, humanities, fildm and telvision studies, learning sciences, and computer sciences.

Link to article from the University of Nottingham: Visual Learning for the 21st Century

Related information:

FutureLab, of the UK, hosted a debate of the educational merits of interactive whiteboards, one of the technologies used to support visual and interactive multimedia teaching and learning. With the rush to adopt this technology for primary and secondary students, the participants pointed out that in order for teaching and learning to be effective, appropriate teacher training must take place.

If you have been following the Interactive Multimedia Technology or the Tech Psych blogs, you know that I'd like to see something like Microsoft's Surface in classrooms. Touch screen displays, such as the NextWindow Human Touch, appear to be more effective if they aren't dependent on a projector.