Cases on Teaching Critical Thinking through Visual Representation Strategies

One of the most important aspects of a comprehensive education involves teaching students to analyze arguments and form their own opinions based on available information. Visual and graphical mapping strategies are useful in helping students to consider problems from a variety of perspectives. Cases on Teaching Critical Thinking through Visual Representation Strategies brings together research from scholars and professionals in the field of education to provide new insights into the use of visual aids for student development in reasoning and critical thinking. This essential reference source will enable academics, researchers, and practitioners in fields such as education, business, and technology to more effectively foster students’ critical thinking skills.

Leonard J. Shedletsky, Ph.D., is Professor of Communication at The University of Southern Maine. He is the author of Meaning and Mind: An Intrapersonal Approach to Human Communication (1989), co-author of Human Communication on the Internet, co-editor of Intrapersonal Communication Processes (1995), co-editor in 2010 of Cases on Online Discussion and Interaction: Experiences and Outcomes. He wrote the entry, Cognition, for the International Encyclopedia of Communication (2008). He has been teaching since 1974. He teaches a range of courses in communication with cognition, discourse, and meaning as underlying themes. He was awarded recognition for Stellar Scholarship and Teaching, University of Southern Maine (USM) 2003, 2007, and 2011. He was named The Russell Chair, 2009 2011. He has recently taught a number of online courses that make heavy use of discussion and mapping.

Jeffrey S. Beaudry is an Associate Professor, Educational Leadership, at the University of Southern Maine. He aims to explore issues relating to visual learning, formative assessment, authentic learning, and science literacy. His publication of Concept Mapping and Formative Assessment: Elements Supporting Literacy and Learning published in the Handbook for Research on Concept Mapping and Collaborative Research, and the co-edited a book Cases on Teaching Critical Thinking through Visual Representation Strategies builds the argument for visual literacy for teachers from early childhood to graduate level. He has a degree and freelanced as a pre-digital photographer, and his work is published in numerous books and magazines. Dr. Beaudry now teaches courses online and in blended media formats with Webinars and video networks for the USM. He is an active, contributing faculty member to the USM Center for Technology Education and Learning (CTEL), where he collaborates and leads professional development on multimedia, especially concept mapping and customized, interactive, interactive videos.