GRAPHIC ORGANIZERS, WHAT ARE THEY AND HOW DO WE USE THEM? In this article you will discover that there are a variety of types of graphic organizers, the many uses of graphic organizers and how they can be used in the learning process with children as well as for adults.

There are some graphic organizers you use daily, like your calendar. Although we don't refer to the calendar as a graphic organizer, it is a descriptive matrix which helps us to gather, sift, sort and share information. (Freeman, see More Info)

Graphic organizers are used to visualize information to help us organize our thinking. They provide an organizational framework which facilitates the thinking process for both children and adults. For example, early childhood teachers use Venn Diagrams to teach comparing and contrasting objects, while engineers use complex organizers to develop new processes and simulations. (Inquirer/Philadelphia Online, Oct., 1997)

There are a variety of categories of graphic organizers which can be utilized for different purposes. Some of these categories are: webbing, concept mapping, matrix, flow chart, and Venn diagram. Graphic organizers can be used to illustrate describing, comparing and contrasting, classifying, sequencing, causal relationship and decision making.

Some school instructors are finding graphic organizers helpful in stimulating and organizing thinking of primary and secondary age children. Teachers use the framework of graphic organizers as a cognitive strategy to visually demonstrate to students how ideas and information in a specific problem, passage, text or unit of study are related and organized (Tarquin & Walker, 1997). Graphic organizers help keep students on track and makes their thought process explicit. (Freeman,www, See More Info)

Bottom up visuals

Top down visuals

Clark describes graphic organizers as organizing top down and bottom up thinking (see below) . "Bottom up graphics (time lines, web diagrams, circle diagrams, data grids, pie charts and graphs) help students scan, sort, and organize information so they can draw inferences and conclusions, thinking inductively. 

Top down graphics (concept maps, causal chains, charts, continuum flow charts, etc.) help them apply rules, test hypotheses, make decisions, or solve new problems, thinking deductively." (Clark, 1991, pp 527)

Below you will see some examples of elementary school childrens' ideas for graphic organizers. The names used for these different graphic organizers are: Fishbone, Spider, Flow Chart, Venn Diagram, Clouds, and Matrix. These were produced by children of all ages. It is thought that the creative effort itself of producing these graphic organizers facilitates a students' ability to develop insight and come up with conclusions, plans and solutions.

Even though from a research perspective the jury is still out on the benefits of graphic organizers in teaching, from a user perspective the jury has come in with a "we think they work great" verdict..

Thanks to the gracious producers of graphic organizers for sharing their creations with me. Here are their websites:

• Graphic Organizer Index Website - Greg Freeman
• Mrs Dobbs World History and Geography - Suzanne Dobbs & Students
  

Sandra Whitteker (swhit@interwork.sdsu.edu)
Instructional Designer
SDSU Interwork Institute
Distance Learning and Communication Technology Unit