Literature

=Literature=

The existing literature can be categorised as Overall, there is more on 1 and 3. The field is patchy and only partially understood.
 * 1) Definitions or understandings of the concepts involved
 * 2) Research on the value of diagrams in scientific explanations in books, oral exposition, PowerPoint
 * 3) Technical material, especially recently on the use of software such as Photoshop
 * 4) Animations for explanations
 * 5) Teachers understandings of diagrams
 * 6) Learner understanding of diagrams.

[|Philosophy of diagrams] The place of diagrams from the Stanford Site. A little hard going! [|Gestures, diagrams and word (Tversky)] Barbara Tversky is a chemist [|The Guild Handbook of scientific illustrations] Is an illustration a diagram, or vice versa? [|Wikpedia illustration - quote below] An **illustration** is a displayed [|visualization] form presented as a [|drawing], [|painting], [|photograph] or other work of [|art] that is created to elucidate or dictate sensual information (such as a story, poem or [|newspaper] article) by providing a visual representation graphically [|Wikipedia technical illustration - quote below] Technical illustrations generally have to describe and explain the subjects to a nontechnical [|audience]. Therefore the visual image should be accurate in terms of dimensions and proportions, and should provide "an overall impression of what an object is or does, to enhance the viewer’s interest and understanding". [|Wikipedia graphics] This is a useful article that covers a range of concepts within graphics, and makes distinctions between them. I am not sure of the provenance of the ideas, whether they are formal and widely accepted or not. Nevertheless, they provide much for us to think about. The article provokes me (John) to think about the place of diagrams in explanations, and whether textbook writers are sufficiently well informed about graphics to make wise choices of what type to choose, and of how to use them, and their potential for learning. [|A research strategy for the dynamic study of students' concepts and problem solving strategies using science software] by Joseph S. Krajcik, Patricia E. Simmons, Vincent N. Lunetta Journal of Research in Science Teaching[| Volume 25][|,][|Issue 2][|,] pages 147–155, February 1988 [|Visual representations in science education] Visual representations in science education: The influence of prior knowledge and cognitive load theory on instructional design principles Michelle Patrick Cook Science Education[| Volume 90][|,][|Issue 6][|,] pages 1073–1091, November 2006
 * Technical Illustration** is the use of [|illustration] to visually communicate information of a [|technical nature]. Technical illustrations can be components of [|technical drawings] or [|diagrams]. Technical illustrations in general aim "to generate expressive [|images] that effectively convey certain [|information] via the visual channel to the human observer".[|[][|1][|]]