Heightening Learner Engagement and Retention through Visual Learning

Furthermore, latest learning trends indicate that most learners do not follow a single learning style – visual, audio or kinesthetic. Most learners prefer a mix of elements from all – and visual learning is by far the most preferred by learners. The Center for Learning, Vanderbilt University, asserts that ‘Everyone’s a Visual Learner’ citing how most learners retain more through visual cues. The power of visual learning has firm footing when we delve deep into how our brain works. Much of our sensory cortex is devoted to vision, so it is safe to call it more of ‘an image processor’ than a word processor. This is not just a tall claim – the fact being the part of the brain used to process words is quite small in comparison to the part that processes visual images.

In the corporate learning scenario, images have always been a part of training content – be it for classroom delivery, e-learning and in recent times, mobile-based learning.

• Images and visual cues help learners see how ideas are connected.
• They help learners group and organize information – correlating new knowledge what they already know. Thus, it is a great medium when teaching something new.
• Learners can use visuals to understand and retain large amounts of information.
• Images also help learners recall prior knowledge through patterns and relationships between different sets of images. Thus, it is also a great medium when helping learners revise prior knowledge.

Creating an opportunity for just-in-time learning, we developed a Learning solution (LMS solutions) for a leading MNC – to be utilized by their sales personnel. Using the premise that Visual Learning is great for Recall and Revising, we created a mobile app that enables learners to access visual cue cards to be better prepared when taking in sales calls and make better product presentations to prospective clients.

• The cue cards were created using high-end images that project a life-like quality to the learner. Real-life photographs of people as well as setting were used. Not only was it an excellent mode of learning, it also aligned to the strength of the medium of delivery – tablets and smartphones.

• The learners could access the cue-card app as per their need, learn effectively and apply quickly. Visuals were easy to relate and helped learners recall a lot of connected information – even if not represented by the particular cue-card.

• Each cue card represented a story – which helped learners understand the visual better. The story was included in the cue card with minimum words, which the learner could read quickly. The story behind the images built up the understanding. In addition, it could also be utilized as a part of the sales pitch.

• Visuals build relationships between different chunks of information. Keeping this in mind, we created two separate verticals – Industries/Places where our clients’ products are utilized and how they make the end-users feel. This matrix of places and emotions formed the basis of the development of visual cue cards.

• If the learners choose to learn about the utilization of products in a particular industry or space, they will be directed to all the cue cards that fall under that category. The learner could, however, refine his choice as well and choose to review cue cards which displayed a certain emotion within a chosen space. Thus the learning was completely non-linear – keeping the choice of ‘what to learn’ always open to the learners.

Appropriate visuals can help make abstract and difficult concepts more tangible. Learners are able to retain multiple concepts and correlate them better with visual learning. With G-Cube’s visual cues app, learners are now inspired to use human stories that help end-users grasp the utility of the product more. It is a handy learning solution for the sales team and is being utilized by a growing number of learners everyday. This, however, is just one example of a non-linear utilization of visual learning. For more on the subject, feel free to write at in**@gc**********.net and we will be happy to share!