Lucid Faculty, Educational Psychology Professor, Director of Learning, Representations, & Technology Lab as well as Computer Sciences Affiliate, Martina Rau is interested in educational technologies to support more effective learning with visuals.
While we generally think of visuals as helpful tools, Rau highlights the fact that visuals can be confusing if students do not know how to interpret visuals, construction visuals, or make connections among multiple visuals.
She created a video blog, Learning with Visuals, that aims to translate the research conducted on campus and share findings in a more accessible and useful approach to teaching and learning with visuals. She aims to help students looking for effective study strategies, parents wanting to help with children learn, teachers who notice that students often have difficulties understanding visuals, and of course prospective researchers in educational psychology.
Involving Students from Multiple Disciplines in Research
Here she discusses the importance of students from multiple disciplines learning from each other and gaining an understanding of what it takes to conduct research in a different field.
Collaborating with Visuals
Here she discusses how educational technologies can support students to more effectively collaborate with visuals.
Translating Research into Everyday Language
Here she discusses the importance of finding new ways to learn and teach with visuals as well as how she plans to make her research accessible to non-scientists, such as teachers, parents, and students.