Visual Mnemonics Research Articles

Visual Mnemonics and Gamification

This learning representation is an innovative approach to teaching muscle physiology in a first-year medical school curriculum, utilizing assets from the Medimon game-based website. Medimon is a game designed to enhance students' preference and retention of medical concepts through interactive and visually engaging game contexts. The Medimon game experience allows students to (a) engage with characters representing various physiological components, (b) explore buildings designed to align with visual mnemonics, and (c) reinforce knowledge via game activities of muscle physiology, including muscle, cardiac, and smooth muscle structure and function. By leveraging the detailed visual mnemonics of the game, we implemented Medimon game assets into a presentation on muscle physiology to supplement existing presentation materials and promote long-term retention of muscle physiology.

INNOVATIVE WAYS OF SOLVING A PROBLEM OF USING MNEMONICS STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE PRIMARY STAGE PUPILS’ EFL VOCABULARY LEARNING

In the article it is shown types of mnemonics strategies that teachers might employ. According to different researches, there are five classes of mnemonics: linguistic, spatial, visual, physical response and verbal methods. Linguistic mnemonics usually are understood as key methods. Spatial mnemonics include some spatial grouping and so called “finger methods”. These methods also involve the ways which help to connect new concepts with some familiar place, a pattern or a script, which can help in the process of memorization of the material. Visual mnemonics help any person to make use of pictures or in visualizations them, to create some associations by the basic concept (in such a way there are symbolic, mnemonics, also, pictographic ones). The verbal mnemonics is used when the meaning of some stories, novels can help students to remember the information, combining with some methods, such as grouping or re-grouping, or providing semantic organization and story-telling, or building up narrative chains. Physical mnemonics take a place when the body parts help the person to remember, either by help of some movements or physical response.
 In the paradigm of English Language Methodology, the formulation of definitions, which depend on mnemonic spheres of the person, it is mainly carried out by scripts or frames. The pedagogical and psychological mechanisms of quantification of any language do not allow the person to create a wide practice of giving the definitions, using scripts or frames. But with the help of the last ones, it is impossible to exclude the corresponding role of the language in the English Language Methodology.

The effect of using visual mnemonics on long-term memory retention for History subject

The challenge of history is the method of teaching and learning, and the prevalence of teachers using lectures or various lecture methods. Developing student ability mastery in this subject is one of the major challenges faced by the teachers. Therefore, this study aims to examine the effect of visual mnemonic developed based on imagery techniques that is the integration of keywords with images or objects on the retention of long-term memory for the subject of History form one. The study was conducted experimentally with one group. A total of 24 students were involved in this study. A pre-posttest was performed for comparison and the next test was a comparison of three different time intervals over a period of weeks. Data were analyzed using a t-test and ANOVA Test. The results showed that there was a significant difference in scores between pre and post-tests. However, the retention test showed no significant difference in score for the three different times. Visual mnemonics show a good effect on long-term memory. The results of this study can be used as a method of teaching and learning, especially for factual subjects.

The Effect of Visual Mnemonics and the Presentation of Character Pairs on Learning Visually Similar Characters for Chinese-As-Second-Language Learners.

This study investigates the effects of visual mnemonics and the methods of presenting learning materials on learning visually similar characters for Chinese-as-second-language (CSL) learners. In supporting CSL learners to build robust orthographic representations in Chinese, addressing the challenges of visual similarity of characters (e.g., 理 and 埋) is an important issue. Based on prior research on perceptual learning, we tested three strategies that differ in the extent to which they promote interrelated attention to the form and meaning of characters: (1) Stroke Sequence, a form-emphasis strategy, (2) Key-images, a form + meaning strategy utilizing visual code, (3) Pithy Formulas with Key-images, a form + meaning strategy combining visual and verbal codes. A pretest–posttest equivalent-group design was adopted. The independent variables were the learning strategy, the method of presenting character pairs (visually similar vs. dissimilar), and testing time. The dependent variables were learners’ proportions of accurate responses to reading and writing Chinese characters through a posttest (immediately performed after learning) and a delayed posttest (1 week after learning); a learner experience survey was also administered to investigate learners’ opinions on each strategy. Sixty-six non-beginning learners of Chinese participated; they were randomly assigned to one of the two groups in which participants learned ten characters via the three strategies, respectively, differing between whether the characters were presented in similar pairs or dissimilar pairs. Data were analyzed via three-way ANCOVAs. The Pithy Formulas with Key-images and the Key-images generally yielded higher writing accuracy than Stroke Sequence immediately after learning. Notably, the advantage of the Pithy Formulas with Key-images (verbal and visual) over the Key-images (visual) on writing was specific to the participants that learned with visually similar pairs rather than those that learned with dissimilar pairs. All strategies were effective for reading, yet learners’ experience ratings favored the two form + meaning strategies over the strategy that focused primarily on form. Suggestions for future research and pedagogical implications on learning visually similar characters were offered.

Використання мнемотехнічних прийомів при викладанні анатомії людини

The development of a methodology for the effective assimilation of various information is one of the urgent problems of scientific and pedagogical activity. The course of anatomy, due to its specificity, is one of the most time-consuming subjects in medical education. In the preparation of first-year students at the Department of Human Anatomy, a phased level of education is used with a gradual complication of the information received. The use of mnemonics is impossible without certain knowledge about the features of memory, its forms and types, as well as the processes underlying memory: encoding, storage, and retrieval. There are very few mnemonics available for studying human anatomy in the medical literature. The purpose of the study was to offer mnemonics, especially rhymed, to improve students' memorization of human anatomy and thus to improve the knowledge of the subject. Results and discussion. The article presents the results of the study of mnemonics (rhymed, alliteration and visual schemes) and explains the features of their use for encoding, storage, and retrieval of educational material from different sections of human anatomy by students. Basic principles of mnemonics, such as the use of associations, elaborative encoding and creating the emotional bonds can be successfully integrated into the study of anatomy. One of the most effective methods in teaching human anatomy is schematization, that is a conditionally simplified image of the structure of morphological formations. While preparing for lectures and practical classes, anatomical drawings and diagrams are selected and adapted. The scheme allows to imagine and to understand the anatomical structures in various projections and different sections, to trace the topographic and functional connections of individual organs and systems as a whole. Thus students form a certain anatomical image as the basis for future clinical thinking. It is noted that memorizing the right terms, words, concepts, and explanation of some anatomical facts is much easier in the poetic form. Conclusion. By transforming anatomy teaching material into the form of visual image or by comparing it with existing knowledge using associations and rhyming provides more consistency, involvement in obtaining new knowledge, interest in classes. Association formation has a positive effect on the brain, helps to improve student's skills of synthesis, analysis and the ability to systematize knowledge, helps to memorize large amounts of information faster and more efficiently. The use of mnemonics, especially the method of rhyming, visual mnemonics, acronyms for human anatomy makes it possible to improve the quality of knowledge of the subject

An Analysis of Anki Usage and Strategy of First-Year Medical Students in a Structure and Function Course.

It is well known that undergraduate medical education demands learners to master large amounts of material. To help cope with learning, medical students have resorted to e-learning resources that include video lectures, visual mnemonics, and flashcard systems. The purpose of the current study was to determine the usage of Anki (Damien Elmes, https://apps.ankiweb.net/) among first-year medical students in an integrated first-year module consisting of anatomy and physiology. Additionally, this study aimed to elucidate how students used Anki in conjunction with their lectures. Sixty first-year medical students were recruited in a twelve-week longitudinal study consisting of three surveys (Weeks 1, 7, and 13) about usage of Anki and their perceptions of how to use it with formal lecture. About 70% of participants utilized Anki in the course and the usage increased significantly from Week 1 to Weeks 7 and 13. There was variation to how many days a week students used Anki. Survey data shows that students value formal lectures and prefer to supplement their studies with Anki. A large proportion of first-year medical students use Anki to supplement their studies. Faculty should consider ways to incorporate Anki into their teaching to facilitate student learning through active recall and spaced repetition.

A Spoonful of Eponyms Helps the Pathology Go Down: Using Food Eponyms and Visual Mnemonics in Preclinical Pathology Education.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40670-021-01474-w.

The Bullshit Cartoon Abstract: In Praise of Creative Academic Writing

This article introduces and discusses a novel form of scholarly output, the bullshit cartoon abstract, which can be used to illustrate summaries of fictitious research papers for both scholarly and lay readers. Presenting five self-authored examples that meticulously deal with trivial research subjects, from the use of visual mnemonics in education to disaster marketing, the article classifies these abstracts along seven dimensions (analytic, aesthetic, existential, satirical, pedagogical, recreational, and opportunistic) to illuminate how bullshit is enacted in academic writing. Building on this classification, it reappraises academic bullshit(ting) as potentially generative of new and multi-textured expressions of creative scholarship.

On the Effects of Linguistic, Verbal, and Visual Mnemonics on Idioms Learning

On the Effects of Linguistic, Verbal, and Visual Mnemonics on Idioms Learning

Audio‐Visual Mnemonics Facilitate Learning of Anatomy as a Supplemental Tool

In order to assist students learning in anatomy, we created audiovisual mnemonics videos covering the lower limb anatomy using Adobe Illustrator Draw application on IOS. The video series, referred as Sketch Videos, start with a sketch containing visual elements representing the attachments, innervation, blood supply and function of the lower limb muscles with a narrator walking through the key concepts. It was provided to the medical students in Class 2022 at Sidney Kimmel Medical College. A survey was conducted to collect students’ feedbacks in their experience using these tools and to evaluate their efficacy. 43 students had used the videos and completed the survey. 81.39% of students responding to the survey strongly agreed or agreed that the Sketch Videos were useful in memorizing facts about the lower limb muscles. 71.79% strongly agreed or agreed that the Sketch Videos were useful in preparing for the musculoskeletal anatomy practical exam. 88.37% would like to see similar Sketch Videos for the upper limb. Most (72.09%) considered watching the videos was relaxing and fun. In summary, these visual mnemonics Sketch Videos are helpful for students in learning and memorizing anatomical facts in a fun and relaxing setting.

Learning L2 Idioms through Visual Mnemonics

Due to the importance of idioms, many researchers and teachers have long sought to find ways of making idiom teaching and learning more effective. This study compared three visual mnemonic devices (pictures, mental imagery, and movie clips) in terms of their effect on EFL learners’ recognition and recall of English idioms. Ninety intermediate level EFL learners who were preparing themselves for IELTS participated in this study. They were in three groups of thirty members each. Each group was taught idioms using one of the afore-mentioned visual mnemonic devices. Receptive and productive tests of idioms were administered to all groups after the treatment. The one-way ANOVA procedure was used to analyze the collected data. The results revealed statistically significant differences among these devices, with pictures method being the most effective on both recognition and recall of idioms. The findings of the study can have significant theoretical as well as pedagogical implications for language researchers, textbook designers, curriculum developers, teachers, and language learners.

Does It Function? Adapting visual mnemonics and self-regulated strategy instruction to teach argumentative writing

This investigation sought to answer the question, "How does an evidence-based teaching technique improve students' abilities to develop persuasive writing and utilize self-control tactics?" about ninth-grade pupils. In two Portuguese classrooms, The Self-Regulated Strategy Development (SRSD) paradigm was used for various planning and writing procedures for argumentative works. SRSD stands for the creation of self-controlled strategies. Utilizing mnemonic devices is a need for the model to facilitate training effectively. The incremental advantages of using dual-coding mnemonics were apparent when SRSD training was eventually implemented (that is, visual and verbal mnemonics) were investigated. This was done as a direct result of the above statement. The first group's SRSD training consisted of verbal and visual mnemonics (a total of 23 participants). During the SRSD lesson given to the second group (which had a total of 25 participants), verbal mnemonics were the only kind employed. A comparison was made between the groups and a group of 25 people serving as control which had no prior exposure to the received conventional instruction in writing. The following findings were supported to a considerable degree by the evidence: Writing quality, idea development, organizing, language clarity, and spontaneity of planning were all enhanced by using dual-coding mnemonics and SRSD teaching respectively. SRSD instruction also improved writing quality, organizing, and spontaneity of planning. b) The results of national tests administered 15 weeks following the teaching demonstrated that the improved SRSD procedures were effective. a) The organization of the writing was better, as was its spontaneity. b) The instruction provided by SRSD led to improvements in the planning and structure of improvisational writing. We will talk about the processes involved in modifying SRSD training to teach argumentative writing from the perspective of a particular culture. We will also examine the possible additional advantages of incorporating visual mnemonics into the standard daily SRSD training program.

Enhancing Creativity: Using Visual Mnemonic Devices in the Teaching Process in Order to Develop Creativity in Students

(1) Background: In the field of creativity studies there is always space for expansion and new conceptualizations of the methods involved. Therefore, we will present in this paper a brief arrangement of the methods used to enhance creativity and consider whether visual mnemonic devices can increase creativity. The devices are used in the teaching process in order to ease the remembering process by creating a visual representation. Visual mnemonic devices are techniques that increase creativity as part of their own performance. (2) Methods: We will use a quasi-experimental, nonequivalent group design, the procedure involving the use of visual mnemonic devices. (3) Results: The results show that the degree of abstracting increased after using visual mnemonic devices, along with fluency and other creativity dimensions. (4) Conclusions: The paper shows that the creativity increased, based on a national percentile system (along with standard creativity index), after using the visual mnemonics devices, thus demonstrating a case for integrating the visual mnemonic devices among methods to foster creativity.

Mnemonics for better and faster memorization of histology information for English-speaking students of medical and dental faculties

Medical students need quickly and efficiently memorize and process large amounts of information, and mnemonics help them with this. Unfortunately, there are very few mnemonics in the medical literature dedicated to the study of histology. The purpose of the study is to develop techniques to facilitate the memorization of significant amounts of histology information for English-speaking medical and dental students. The first letter mnemonics (acronyms) and visual mnemonic were developed, and the rhymes mnemonic and some first letter mnemonics were selected. The mnemonics listed above include: mnemonics of cytology for memorizing membrane organelles, the functions of the Golgi complex and mitosis phases; blood mnemonics to remember the number and names of granulocytes and agranulocytes and stages of erythropoiesis; connective tissue mnemonics to remember the type of collagen fibers in bone and cartilage; muscle tissue mnemonics to remember the first type of muscle fibers and sarcomere structure; mnemonics of nerve tissue to remember the number of axons that are surrounded by Schwann cells; mnemonics of the nervous system to remember the origin of climbing fibers and the position of the deep cerebellar nuclei; mnemonics of the integumentary system to remember the location of the layers of the epidermis; mnemonics of the endocrine system to remember hormones that are produced by the pituitary basophils as well as adrenal cortex zones and hormones produced in these zones.

‘Does It Work?’ Adapting Evidence-Based Practices to Teach Argumentative Writing

The current study examined the impact of adapting an evidence-based instructional approach to develop ninth-grade students’ argumentative writing and self-regulated strategy use. Following the Self-Regulated Strategy Development (SRSD) model, strategies to plan and write argumentative texts were implemented in two Portuguese classrooms. The model relies heavily on the use of mnemonic strategies to support instruction. Thus, incremental effects of using dual-coding mnemonics (i.e., visual and verbal mnemonics) were explored when implementing SRSD instruction. For the first group (n = 23), SRSD instruction included verbal and visual mnemonics; for the second group (n = 25), SRSD instruction included verbal mnemonics alone. Groups were compared with a control group (n= 25) receiving standard writing instruction.The following findings were significant: a) SRSD instruction increased writing quality, organising, and spontaneous planning; b) dual-coding mnemonics enhanced writing quality, development of ideas, organising, language clarity, and spontaneous planning; c) national exams completed 15 weeks after instruction reinforced the effectiveness of the adapted SRSD strategies. The process of culturally adapting and implementing SRSD instruction to teach argumentative writing will be discussed, including the potential incremental effects of adding visual mnemonics to the SRSD instructional routine.

Integrating Visual Mnemonics and Input Feedback With Passphrases to Improve the Usability and Security of Digital Authentication.

We developed a new authentication system based on passphrases instead of passwords. Our new system incorporates a user-generated mnemonic picture displayed during login, definition tooltips, error correction to reduce typographical errors, a decoy-based input masking technique, and random passphrase generation using either a specialized wordlist or a sentence template. Passphrases exhibit a greater level of security than traditional passwords, but their wider adoption has been hindered by human factors issues. Our assertion is that the added features of our system work particularly well with passphrases and help address these shortcomings. We conducted a study to evaluate our new system with a customized 1,450-word list and our new system with a 6-word sentence structure against the control conditions of a user-created passphrase of at least 24 characters and a system-generated passphrase using a 10,326-word list. Fifty participants completed two sessions so that we could measure the usability and security of the authentication schemes. With the new system conditions, memorability was improved, and security was equivalent to or better than the control conditions. Usability and overall ratings also favored the new system conditions over the control conditions. Our research presents a new authentication system using innovative techniques that improve on the usability and security of existing password and passphrase authentication systems. In computer security, drastic changes should never happen overnight, but we recommend that our contributions be incorporated into current authentication systems to help facilitate a transition from passwords to usable passphrases.

Computer-assisted language learning in reading comprehension by using visual mnemonics A case study of Iranian EFL learners

A profitable method to address reading delays is to use computer-assisted learning, but these techniques are not always effective. In this research, the researchers evaluated a commercially available computer system, which uses visual mnemonics, in a randomised controlled trial with 78 English-speaking children (mean age 7 years) who their schools identified as needing reading support. School based individual tutorials usually took place 2-3 times/week. Only the experimental group received the intervention in the first 10 months, thereafter both the experimental and control groups received the intervention for 6 months. After 10 months, the experimental group had significantly higher standardised scores than the waiting list control group of decoding, phonological awareness, naming speed, phonological short-term memory and executive loaded working memory. The computer-assisted intervention was effective and this suggests that this medium can be used for reading interventions with English speaking children.

An evaluation of the effectiveness of a computer‐assisted reading intervention

BackgroundA cost‐effective method to address reading delays is to use computer‐assisted learning, but these techniques are not always effective.MethodsWe evaluated a commercially available computer system that uses visual mnemonics, in a randomised controlled trial with 78 English‐speaking children (mean age 7 years) who their schools identified as needing reading support. School‐based individual tutorials usually took place 2–3 times/week. Only the experimental group received the intervention in the first 10 months; thereafter, both the experimental and control groups received the intervention for 6 months.ResultsAfter 10 months, the experimental group had significantly higher standardised scores than the waiting list control group of decoding, phonological awareness, naming speed, phonological short‐term memory and executive loaded working memory.ConclusionsThe computer‐assisted intervention was effective, and this suggests that this medium can be used for reading interventions with English‐speaking children.What is already known about this topic There are comparatively few randomised controlled trial evaluations of computer‐based reading interventions. Meta‐analyses report small positive effect sizes for such interventions with English‐speaking children. The use of visual mnemonics to improve reading has rarely been investigated. What this paper adds The findings suggest that computer‐based interventions for English‐speaking, struggling readers can be effective. The effects extended beyond the targeted abilities, and a longer intervention was more effective than a shorter one. Apart from spelling, the mean reading and reading related standardised scores for children at the end of the intervention were above or just below 100. Implications for theory, policy or practice Computer‐based interventions can be used to support English‐speaking, struggling readers, and their effects can go beyond targeted abilities. The use of visual mnemonics and the development of the intervention programme over a number of years could have contributed to this success. The role of visual mnemonics as a help for struggling readers deserves further investigation.

Teaching Japanese Syllabary With Visual And Verbal Mnemonics

Courseware to teach Japanese syllabary (Hiragana and Katakana) has been developed and used with beginning learners of Japanese. The method used for the courseware is adapted from "Hiragana in 48 minutes" (Quackenbush & Ohso 1983), which uses mnemonics to help associate the shape and sound of letters.

Visual mnemonics for language learning: Static pictures versus animated morphs.

The literature on learning with animations has focused so far on subject matters in which changes over time depicted in the animation are mapped onto changes over time in the reality of the concepts to be learned. The experiments presented in this article, however, suggest that also a nontemporal mapping of facts, as in paired-associate learning with visual mnemonics, can profit from temporally changing displays. In 2 experiments, Sino-Japanese characters and their meanings were learned with either static pictures or animated morphs as visual encoding mnemonics. The results show that both types of encoding mnemonics improved paired-associate learning compared to a nonmnemonic control group. The positive effects of encoding mnemonics remained stable over a period of 1 week. Experiment 1 showed a superiority of static pictures over animated morphs. However, this effect disappeared when the relative length of presentation time of characters and pictures in both static and animated mnemonic conditions was held constant (Experiment 2). Furthermore, how good a character's visual shape represents its associated meaning seems to be a powerful predictor of learning, regardless of learning method. The results are interpreted in terms of task-appropriate mental representations resulting from static and animated mnemonics, in particular the availability and the extractability of cues in a visual display.