The Australian Geologist - Geological Society of Australia

tists interested in the evolution of our
continent and problems such as salinity,
environmental health, or water resources.
Having said that this book has many
problems that I find particularly annoying,
such as computer drawn structure contour
maps which make no sense at all, not using
the international geological time scale and
the lack of reference to international literature.
Another telling point in this volume
is the comparative lack of post-2000
references, except for self references and the
inclusion of in press references that are now
published. This suggests to me that the
volume has had a long gestation period.
The big value of a book of this type is that
case studies are short and that it is the sort
of book into which one may delve selectively.
Overall, despite my criticisms, it is a volume
that should be on the shelf of any serious
scholar of the Australian environment
because; for the first time it brings together
studies new and not so new into one place,
is readily available, and at a very small price.
GRAHAM TAYLOR
The Art of Educating
with V Diagrams
D Bob Gowin and Marino C Alvarez
2005
Cambridge University Press
231 pages ISBN 0 521 60414 1
$29
www.cambridge.org
Geologist, like every professional of any
scientific, technological, engineering,
medicine/health-related, or of any of the
numerous arts-cum-humanities-related
disciplines uses diagrams (this being a
genetic or collective term for models, flow
charts, graphics, figures and illustrations).
Various types of diagrams are continually
developed as demonstrated by the book
on Vs to assist innovation, creativity,
imagination, even serendipity, and of course
teaching, learning, and data or knowledge
retention – all important in operational
control of any interdisciplinary research,
for instance. Even Murphy’s Law may be
nullified.
The unequivocal practical application, downright
necessity, of using a diagrammatic philosophy
has been amply demonstrated in any
type of work in industry, manufactory, exploration
and mining, environmental and ecological
controls, management, administration,
education and pedagogy, business, finance,
government, and naturally in crime solving
situations (eg by the AFP, Canberra, ACT),
among others. In other words, wherever systems
analysis, cybernetics, integration, synergy,
and comparison/contrasting is to be
employed (eg Senge et al, 1998). The various
types of diagrams are known by different
names, such as mind maps (eg as taught in
our high school science; see several publications
by Joyce Wycoff, eg 1991), NETMAPS
(Union of International Associations, 1994 ),
conceptual maps, concatenation models
(Wolf, 1988), among others terms used.
The Gowin/Marino V diagrams are another
style of graph supplementing (from my viewpoint,
at least) the various flow-chart-like
and circular diagrams depicting the numerous
phases or stages of The Scientific
Method (eg see Oldroyd, 1986). The two
authors present nine principles, each giving
clear directions about how to use the Vs to
improve critical thinking in a hierarchical
functional way, depict the meaning of experience,
simplify complexity, structure and
interrelate data, discover information, create
knowledge, analyze and report research,
evaluate epistemological elements, direct
questioning, select appropriate research
strategies, teach and learn meaningfully,
enhance human interaction, clarify
ambiguity, offer criteria of congruence-correspondence
and coherence-conceptual clarity,
connect questions/answers and questions/
events, mediate conceptual/methodological
design and practice, offer ways for electronic
education and research beyond the classroom,
assists in training curriculum
preparation, and make events happen.
Mastering the Vdiagram methodology will
increase ‘…the abilities to question, make
judgements, reason, reconcile, rethink,
reflect, reorganise, make predictions, and
engage in unrealized possibilities.” (p 197).
Numerous examples from several disciplines
are proffered – all diagrammatised: global
warming, astronomy (black holes), forensic
evidence, literature analysis, and coaching
team cohesion.
Why diagrams Any academic publication
with no diagrams is indeed cognitively
meager or wanting! I always judge a nonfiction
book by its diagrams and tables
(especially comparative/contrastive types)
as they reveal much of the author(s) and
the editor(s)’ abilities.
As to the above question allow a quick
request. Try to describe in words merely all
the V diagrams and other figures in the book
(or any other type of diagram). It is possible,
but it would be rather cumbersome even
if the description is the best possible. On
the other hand, a combination of a good
diagram – as ‘visual support’ – with a good
explanation thereof is the best possible
cognitive approach.
Conclusion: any epistemological (p 9),
heuristic (p 12), and hierarchical, etc,
demands can be diagrammatized to achieve
meaning (5-6), to integrate feeling, thinking,
and actions (p 5–6), among others. But to
provide some specifics regarding the question
‘why diagrams’ consider the following:
they can be used, among others, in:
■ all phases of research for description,
analysis, numeration (quantification), interpretation,
hypothesis-formulation, prediction
and extrapolation of data
■ developing proper thinking habits in all
styles of reasoning, ie in deductive (86),
inductive, and comparative/constructive (86)
approaches
■ in establishing a framework (or structure,
architecture, system) for logical, purposive,
convincing approach in the search for ‘truth’
■ taking possession of the theoretical
(abstract, conceptual) and physical (concrete)
world
■ simplifying complexity without denying
the existence of complexity; eg putting order
into chaos
■ knowledge construction
■ teaching/learning on all levels of education
or training
■ curriculum developments
■ e/intellectual bad habits
■ demanding a search for alternatives or
new approaches
■ identifying those who engage in misrepre-
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