Discussion Questions

Try any of the following to generate discussion:

1. The underlying assumption of this chapter is that visuals support learning because they facilitate memory processes. Software companies have made extensive use of this belief by designing icons based on the user's previous experience. Provide an example and describe why the icon should work.

2. Describe an image that was especially effective in helping you organize information in a way you could remember. For example, the food pyramid uses the triangular shape to convey that foods at the base of the pyramid (the wide part) should be eaten in greater quantity than the foods that the top (the narrow part) of the pyramid. Describe how characteristics of the image that you select worked for you.

3. Share a chunking strategy that you have used to remember information. For example FBIUSACIA might be hard to remember until you chunk it into meaningful units: FBI USA CIA. The FBI is part of the USA intelligence world, as is the CIA.