Visual Thinking in Secondary Education: A Teacher-Training Model to Foster Active Learning and Conceptual Understanding

Abstract Book of the 10th International Conference on New Trends in Teaching and Education

Year: 2026

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Visual Thinking in Secondary Education: A Teacher-Training Model to Foster Active Learning and Conceptual Understanding

Eulalia Clos Hernandez

ABSTRACT:

Visual Thinking (VT) is increasingly recognised as a powerful approach to support conceptual understanding, motivation, and multimodal learning in secondary education. This study presents the outcomes of a teacher-training programme in two public secondary schools in Catalonia, Spain, where participating teachers received VT-focused workshops—designed by the author—and subsequently integrated the methodology into their own classroom practices. VT was applied across a range of subjects, including Catalan, Spanish, Social Sciences, Economics, Mathematics, and Philosophy.

Using a mixed-methods approach, the study combined classroom observations, analysis of students’ visual artefacts, and short reflective questionnaires completed by teachers. The findings reveal that VT enhanced students’ ability to explain ideas, organise abstract concepts, and engage actively with curricular content. Teachers reported that visual strategies helped them introduce topics more dynamically, support diverse learning profiles, reduce cognitive overload, and foster creativity, synthesis, and conceptual clarity. They also highlighted improved motivation and more accessible study processes for students.

The study suggests that when teachers are trained to incorporate visual tools meaningfully, VT becomes a highly effective pedagogical resource for promoting active learning and developing key thinking skills in secondary education.

Keywords: Visual Thinking; Secondary Education; Teacher Training; Active Learning; Multimodal Literacy; Conceptual Understanding; Innovative Pedagogies; Visual Learning Strategies