Keynote for Educators and Using Visuals in the Online Classroom

Gave a keynote this week to Studio20 BC Campus post secondary educators about visual practice and creativity! It was fantastic to meet so many people using technology, visuals, music and active learning to improve learning environments across the province. 

I’m passionate about using visuals to help people learn. And for the type of visual work that I do – you don’t need to be a fancy artist. It’s about helping people think through their ideas – and get to that aha! moment.

I had some great help from my friends at Wacom, who sent me a Wacom One to demonstrate during the talk. I used it to show how visual note-taking, or sketchnoting, was super easy while I was giving my talk. I hooked it up to the computer, turned on my screenshare in Zoom, and everyone could watch me fill in the diagram that I was explaining. It’s really responsive, works great – and a really affordable tool for anyone who knows their teaching/ facilitating would benefit from visuals. 

Visual practice is cross-disciplinary. That means anywhere you’re teaching or learning – you can bring the best listening and visuals that only you can do — and create something new and contribute to a wide, wonderful field.

Here are some slides from my talk about creativity. Visuals help us connect to information and each other, why diversity and representation matters, and why visual practice isn’t about being perfect!

I had such great questions during the keynote about “where can I start?” and it reminded me of two things – you can always start from where you are, right now. Lead from your place, from who you are and the wisdom and identities you bring.

And also – last month Benjamin Felis brought a dozen sketchnoting and graphic recording experts into a video project – this is 40 minutes but it’s all about giving and sharing good advice!