Drawing to learn as an alternative teaching strategy to enhance interpretation and understanding of electrical drawings.

Abstract

Industry requires electrical artisans to be competent in designing, reading and interpreting schematics. However, curriculum guidelines at Technical Vocational Education and Training Colleges do not provide this aspect of teaching and learning. Most students can draw; however, they rote learnt circuit diagrams for examination purposes because they were not trained to read and interpret schematics. This study endeavoured to address this learning gap by introducing an alternative teaching strategy. This study explored drawing to learn as a teaching strategy to improve teaching and learning at a Technical Vocational Education and Training College. This study examined how drawing to learn rather than learning to draw enhanced students’ interpretation and understanding of electrical schematics using a patterned learning format. It also evaluated whether drawing to learn addressed electrical misconceptions. The focus was on drawing as a product of the learning process. This action research project adopted the critical paradigm using an inductive approach. The conceptual frameworks underpinning this study were Shulman’s (1986) pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) and Lave and Wenger’s (1991) situated learning. Focus group discussions, a rating scale questionnaire and a structured observation schedule were used to generate data from the conveniently chosen eighteen participants. The findings revealed that proper conceptual tools aided knowledge construction. A cognitive teaching strategy using pattern learning helped students learn intricate and complex numbering concepts by implementing drawing to learn. Electrical drawings enhanced visual awareness and simplifying perceptual tasks. Self-efficacy was evaluated against student understanding of knowledge and teacher knowledge of instructional strategies. Systemised knowledge is effectively transferred by creating a logical and functional path that students can follow. The drawing to learn teaching strategy simplified complicated processes and unmasked electrical misconceptions by addressing dissonance. The recommended imperatives are that new and innovative teaching strategies like drawing to learn using pattern learning will develop students’ cognitive abilities. Practical activities should be conceptualised and contextualised to enhance knowledge construction. Visual literacy must be evaluated and assessed by educators with these assessments mandated through the revised curriculum. Educators must systemise knowledge by organising, arranging, and creating a logical yet functional path that students can follow.