Abstract:

The term visualization is defined as representation of images but this is only a brief explanation because the term encompasses all kinds of represented information in various forms of codes. Priority in information codes has shifted from verbal codes to visual codes. A computer screen has enabled an individual to see invisible and difficult objects and made cognitive and social processes easier. Visualization tools have the strongest position among other teaching/learning tools because of such features as complex 3D, spatial relationships, parameters of moving objects and comprehensible representation of images. Visualization takes into account schoolchildren’s perceptive and cognitive abilities including visual thinking and meta-cognition. Visualization also affects learning motivation and knowledge acquisition because clarity of information fosters schoolchildren’s internal aim to find out about invisible phenomena and fix the acquired knowledge in a long-term memory; from there all learned things could be used for comprehension. The aim of the article is to identify the meaning of visualized scientific content for activation of cognitive processes.
The results of the research. The reasons of scientific misconceptions could be generalized into category of cognitive processes. The last mentioned category could have included disturbance of memory action that are minimizing effectiveness of students’ learning; also, it should contain direction of attention problems that condition distraction in learning process. The problems of mentioned cognitive processes are not the only variables diminishing optimization of education process. The research encloses that the other processes are called problems of perception and imagination. Data analysis shows that students sometimes do not perceive information especially if it was abstract or we could diagnose that perception is not adequate. The perception is closely related to imagination and this could be seen from data analysis too. If students do not understand phenomena, they are not able to imagine correctly. It means that they form wrong mental models in their conscious or absolutely do not have any visual analogies in their minds.
The computer based visualization could activate cognitive processes. The view from computer screen could foster deeper attention and students could be more active and more concentrate searching for information and aiming to solve various problems. Also it could help to orient in dual coded information. When students understand visual information and connect it with verbal information they are able to use imagination in right way and to create mental models that are background for all conception. The concentrated attention, activated perception and imagination prepare in some way possibility to remember things for longer period. Thus, it means that visualization could help students to activate cognitive processes and to conditions better learning results.

Keywords:

Visualization, science education, cognitive processes.