There is substantial evidence from many domains that visual representations aid various forms of cognition. We aimed to determine whether visual representations of argument structure enhanced the acquisition and development of critical thinking skills within the context of an introductory philosophy course. We found a significant effect of the use of argument diagrams, and this effect was stabl...

What is the function of visuals in the design of an augmented keyboard performance device with projection? We address this question by thinking through the impact of design choices made in three examples on notions of locus of attention, visual anticipation and causal gestalt to articulate a space of design factors. Visuals can emphasize and deemphasize aspects of performance and help clarify t...

This paper presents cMinds, a learning intervention that deploys game-based visual programming towards building analytical, computational, and critical thinking skills in primary education. The proposed learning method exploits the structured nature of programming, which is inherently logical and transcends cultural barriers, towards inclusive learning that exposes learners to algorithmic think...

Background There is increasing interest in using systems thinking to tackle ‘wicked’ policy problems in preventive health, but this can be challenging for policy-makers because the literature is amorphous and often highly theoretical. Little is known about how best to support health policy-makers to gain skills in understanding and applying systems thinking for policy action.  <br /...

The demand for further skills and qualifications in the educational technology field remains strong as the range of technologies increases and their potential use in educational contexts becomes more compelling. Students registering for the University of Cape Town (UCT) Masters level courses are employed in schools, government agencies, universities, non-governmental organisations, or in the co...

This research aims at designing a program of mental training to know its effect on some mental thinking (skilful task mood words for performance) and some mental skills (relaxation mental imagery attention concentration) anxiety catecholamine and the level of performance in rhythmical exercises. Hypotheses of the research state that there are statistically significant differences between the pr...

The application of visual language tools for knowledge acquisition and modeling to the support of student’s creative processes has been investigated. Such tools have potential application to both phases of the creativity cycle, the transition from loose divergent thinking to focused convergent thinking, and the converse transition whereby received knowledge is deconstructed through detecting an...

Previous research has demonstrated abstract concepts associated with spatial location (e.g., God in the Heavens) could direct visual attention upward or downward, because thinking about the abstract concepts activates the corresponding vertical perceptual symbols. For self-concept, there are similar metaphors (e.g., "I am above others"). However, whether thinking about the self can induce visua...

Background: Tension and migraine headaches are the most prevalent types of headaches. Some emotional and psychological factors are associated with these headaches. Objectives: To elucidate the nature of individual differences in emotion regulation and repetitive negative thinking among patients with tension headaches and migraine and compare it with normal subjects. Materials & Methods: In th...