DATA VISUALISATION AND INTERPRETATION
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DATA VISUALISATION AND INTERPRETATION
Data visualization involves information representation in a visual format, to make sense of data. Techniques for data visualization and presentation include posters, diagrams, maps charts and video recordings. These techniques give the human mind ability to comprehend, enabling the understanding process. Perception theory explains understanding sensory information with the human sense or the mind. This study analyzes posters and presentation decks as methods used in data visualization and explains the effectiveness of these choices.
According to Qiong (2017, 18) ability to sense the outside world through hearing, seeing, smelling, touching and tasting explains the perception theory. The sensory organs recognize and identify stimulus and gives it meaning. The human mind analyzes poster and presentation decks through hearing and seeing perception. Perception goes through three stages; selection, organization and interpretation. The human mind selects or notices and attends to some bits of information more significant than others. After selection, the brain organizes and puts things or people into categories to form patterns. The brain then makes sense of the patterns and assigns meaning to them.
Posters express the student’s points in visual form. The posters are hybrid in nature; detailed than a speech but less than a paper, and more interactive than either speech or paper. Posters omit anything that is not essential, reduces sentence complexity and hence the human brain can assimilate the information delivered without overload (Prichard 2014). The color used in the poster attracts attention, organizes and puts emphasis on the more important points. The poster defines the topic in conversation, hence actively engages with the other students. According to Osa & Musser (2004) posters provide an opportunity for compliments on the work and critiques that may help in the future. Insightful discussion by a peer often provides ideas for improving the student’s work downstream. The student practices the ability to present information in a simple way. Simplicity is a key factor in poster presentation hence communicates information that the students can easily understand.
The presentation deck presents features to master easily and makes students appear organized in their work. According to Xingeng & Jianxiang (2012, 62) the presentation through bullet points reduces complicated messages and creates simplicity. Therefore the human mind can easily perceive the information presented. Presentation deck creates a colorful and attractive design and visually appealing hence attracts the viewer’s attention. The presentation is easy to see by large audience when projected, and one can move slides easily to reorder the presentation. Additionally, systematic organization of slides and a clear outline presents more help for students in constructing correct knowledge in the students’ mind.
Posters accompanied by presentation decks provide critical and deep exploration of large datasets. These move beyond the representation of data to allow the students to dynamically focus their view of the information presented. They allow easy spotting of patterns hence effectively communicate the data presented. The data presentation involving posters and presentation decks disseminates the student’s work and gives them opportunity to define the topic of conversation (Prichard 2014).
Posters and presentation decks offer an effective and efficient way of data visualization and presentation, to get target people involved in the chosen message. The combination gives an engaging visualization rich in visual data. Further research should involve other tools for data visualization.
References
Osa, J. & Musser, L., 2004. The Role of Posters in Teacher Education Programs, Education Libraries, 27(1).
Prichard, C., 2014. The effects of poster presentations and class presentations on low proficiency learners, Tesol International Association, Journal 5.1.
Qiong, O., 2017. Studies in literature and language: a brief introduction to perception, 15(4), pp. 18-28.
Xingeng, D. & Jianxiang, L., 2012. Advantages and disadvantages of PowerPoint in lectures to science students. MECS publisher, pp.61-65.