Visual learning is not merely a form of visual memory—the ability to associate an object of learning with its spatial and temporal context—or simply an explanatory aid or instrumental support, as is often assumed. The kind of visual learning addressed here aligns, more
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Visual learning is not merely a form of visual memory—the ability to associate an object of learning with its spatial and temporal context—or simply an explanatory aid or instrumental support, as is often assumed. The kind of visual learning addressed here aligns, more broadly, with the notion of visual thinking as conceived in the 1960s by Rudolf Arnheim, the German psychologist and art historian, for whom art and expressive forms help us understand the world, generate active and creative comprehension, and organize one’s interpretative universe. The aim, therefore, is not to describe didactic practices that employ images, maps, videos, or simulations, but to go beyond the apparent familiarity of the topic and ask: When and how does the visual dimension foster learning? And, above all, what role does the image play within the educational process? Historically, the visual has been assigned an instrumental function—or so it was believed. Yet one might doubt that this fully captures the experiences of Leonardo, Giotto, or Michelangelo. Can we truly think that sketches or elaborated images have ever been mere mnemonic aids? In both art and education, images do far more than illustrate or serve as tools for remembering, orienting, or recognizing. Especially today, in the presence of technological interference, the visual covers broader horizons: it is used to generate information, explain complex concepts, and produce new experiences—and possibly even new forms of knowledge. In a world saturated with images, there emerges a growing risk of simplification and trivialization: images abound, yet meaning often escapes us. We distrust images, and perhaps we have never truly learned how to read them. Here lies a crucial anthropological fracture: between the mnemonic and the constructive functions of the visual, genuine visual literacy is often missing. A broad methodological approach is therefore needed—one that, through theoretical, historical, and pedagogical analyses, can problematize the educational use of images beyond their mere instrumental dimension. Such reflection must draw from aesthetic and philosophical traditions while acknowledging technological influences and maintaining a clear focus on the specific contexts of contemporary teaching and learning.
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