This introduces you to the Logomonic learning System. A learning strategy designed to optimise the use of your visual system for learning and problem solving.

1. Intro to Logomonic Learning
System
(LMLS)
Using Symbols and Diagrams to
enhance Comprehension and Memory
By: B. Kwaku Akiti
logomoniclearning@gmail.com

2. The Logomonic Learning system
may interest…
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Anyone who would like to use the
full potential of their visual
cognition to learn and solve
problems more effectively.
Anyone who would like a
systematic and up to date strategy
to take notes, organise and
understand ideas, and to quickly
access their knowledge base within
their Mind’s eye!
Anyone who would like to be a
versatile learner. That is, be
able to relate ideas to see the
big picture whilst understanding
the small details.

3. At a Glance
This presentation will:
1. Define LMLS, its purpose and it’s
theoretical basis.
2. Explain how LMLS optimises your
visual system to learn and solve
problems.
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4. Questions to be answered
1. What is the Logomonic Learning System
2. What does LMLS do?
3. What is LMLS based on?
4. Why is LMLS relevant?
5. What is Expert learning?
6. How does the Visual system work?
7. Why are symbols an optimal use of the visual
system?
8. Why are diagrams an optimal use of the visual
system?
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Part 1
Part 2

5. What is the Logomonic Learning
System ?
Logograph
A sign/
symbol that
refers
directly to its
meaning
e.g. ?%&…
Mnemonic
A memory
strategy such
as an
acronym which
helps you to
remember
information
e.g. BBC &
FBI
Learning
Gaining
knowledge
and skills
that can be
applied when
needed e.g.
Reading and
Programming
System
A group of
interdependent
components
that work
together as a
whole E.g.
your organs
and computer
parts.
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A Logomonic is therefore a
combination of two or more symbols to
represent concepts. This in turn
facilitates long-term retention of
information.
And LMLS is a learning strategy with 6
stages which encourages you to transform
knowledge into symbols and diagrams to
enhance clarity, comprehension and
recall of information.

6. The Logomonic Learning
System
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1.Plan
2.Research
3.Transform Info
4.Cognition
5.Application
6.Evaluation
Stage 3 is the main innovation in the system as the user is encouraged to transform
the acquired information into a symbolic diagram that will encompass all the relevant
knowledge.

7. What does LMLS do?
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LMLS helps you to Regulate and speed up the learning process to
enhanced memory and comprehension.
Organise ideas efficiently for writing effective reports, essays and
presentations.
Facilitates the processes involved in critical thinking and creativity
which makes learning meaningful and enjoyable.
Enables you to Transfer knowledge to new situations, improving
decision making and problem solving.
Great! But what
is all this based
on?

8. What is LMLS Based on?
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Cognitive
Psychology
Knowledge
Organisation

9. Cognitive Psychology
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Field Definition Concepts
Cognitive
Psychology
Cognition originates from the Latin
cognoscere which means to know. Cognitive
psychology is the study of mental processes
such as attention perception and memory.
This is done with controlled scientific
experiments. The results are then used to
build theories and models of mental functions.
Perception; Attention; Memory;
Learning; Problem solving
Creativity Reasoning
Learning
Theory
Learning theories are inspired by cognitive
psychology and are a main subject in
developmental and educational psychology.
They Attempt to describe the conditions under
which we learn best and also suggest
strategies to facilitate the teaching and
learning process.
Metacognition (Metamemory;
Metacomprehension;
Metarepresentation);
Constructivism; Self regulated
Learning (SRL); Multimedia
learning; Cognitive Load Theory.

10. 10
Subject Definition Concepts
Knowledge
organisation
(KO)
KO was traditionally associated with library and
information science (LIS), however it has been
adopted by other fields such as Artificial intelligence
(AI) and business management science (BIS). It is
concerned with the quality and process of organising
knowledge and information through practices such
as document description, indexing and classification.
This in turn affects how efficient one can access
relevant information when needed.
Ontology, indexing,
classification systems,
document description
Ontology Ontology comes from the Greek Onto which means
existence and Logia which means science. It is the
study of things that exist and is concerned with
concepts, their categories and relationships.
Semantic networks; Term-
lists; Classification
systems; Relationship lists;
Schematics; Systems
thinking; semiotics.
Semiotics
And
Grammatolog
y
Semiotics Is the study of meaning making with signs
and symbols. It is related to linguistics which is the
study of language. Grammatology on the other hand
is the study of the structure and development of
writing systems. Cognitive psychologist have shown
that there are significant differences in how the brain
processes different writing systems i.e. logographic
Sign: indices; icons;
symbols
Writing systems: alphabet;
logograph; abjad;
Knowledge Organisation

11. Why is LMLS relevant?
11
Expert learners and problem solvers
on the other hand organise and relate
their knowledge and skills more
efficiently than novices. This allows them
to understand and access relevant
information quickly (de Groot, 1946;
Simon and Chase 1972; Craik and
Lockhart 1972; Chi and Glasier 1982)
LMLS is based on principles from
cognitive psychology, learning theory
and knowledge organisation. It is
designed to exploits our natural ability to
visualise, manipulate, categorise and
remember symbols and diagrams for
optimum learning. (Kuhlman1960; Bower
1970; Paivo 1969)
However studies show that the majority of
higher education students lack these skills
leading to poor academic performance.
(Sutton and Olivera, 1995; Hyde and
Bizar, 1989; Chi, 2005)
Linear note taking i.e. writing from left to
right on lined paper, is the preferred
strategy amongst students. However this
strategy is outdated and limits our ability
to categorise, relate and understand
ideas which are prerequisites for
meaningful learning. (Novak 1991, Buzan
The following skills are considered to be
critical for future job performance:
1. Critical thinking;
2. Creativity
3. Self-regulation
4. Decision making
5. Visualisation
(US Dept. of Labour 1991)
LMLS therefore provides you with the
mental tools outlined by the US Dept of
labour to become an expert learner and
problem solver.
What's an
expert learner?

12. Expert Novice
Knowledge
organisatio
n
Highly organised and interrelated
knowledge units.
Disorganised and unrelated
knowledge units.
Memory They use mnemonic strategies
and acquire skills through much
practice.
Have little experience and so little
knowledge and skills.
Comprehe
nsion
They focus on important
information, jumping forward and
backward to process information
effectively.
Are unaware that they must extend
effort beyond simply reading content
to fully comprehend and retain
information.
Problem
solving
strategy
They carefully select from a
repertoire of learning tactics and
usually use working
forward/backward strategies.
Often use a limited range of
ineffective study tactics such as
means-ends analysis and trial and
error for learning, regardless of the
task content, structure, or
expectations.
Regulation Plan, monitor and evaluate their
performance to gain valuable
feedback which enhances
subsequent performance. They
take measures to resolve gaps in
their understanding.
Do not monitor their own studying and
show little evidence of looking back,
or employing ‘‘fix-up’’ strategies to
remedy comprehension problems.
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Lets first examine the visual
system before explaining why
symbols and diagrams facilitate
learning.

13. How does the visual system
work?
13
Neuroimaging studies by Haxby (1991)
shows that visual perception involves two
main processes:
1. We process where something is in
space which is needed for navigation.
2. We also recognise what we see i.e.
faces, living and non-living things
see Fig 2
Neuroimaging studies show that the
mental processes involved in face
recognition and navigation are similar
to those involved in reading symbols
and diagrams respectively. (Tan et al
2001, O'Keefe & Nadel 1978).
This means that these natural abilities
have been adapted to perform other
tasks and can therefore be exploited
for learning and problem solving!
It is estimated that up 30 percent of the
brain is dedicated to processing visual
information as compared to only 8 percent
for touch and just 3 percent for hearing.
This makes vision our primary intellectual
sense.
Fig 2

14. Why are symbols an optimal use of the visual
system?
14
The ‘Pictorial superiority effect’ and more recently the ‘Logographic
superiority effect’ shows that pictures and symbols are easier to remember
than letter words because they are processed as both concrete images and
abstract sound whereas letter words are only processed as abstract sound.
(Paivo 1969; Akiti 2012).
Pictures can represent concrete ideas such as ‘aeroplane’ and ’table’ easily
because they can be “imagined”, but they are not so good at representing
abstract ideas such as ‘gratitude’ and ‘intelligence’. Symbols on the other hand
can easily represent both abstract and concrete ideas and can also be
imagined.`
Furthermore, studies reveal that symbols are easier to categorise and relate
than images, which facilitates comprehension (Kuhlman, 1960; Stewart 1965
cited in Paivio 1971). This makes symbols more practical to use with diagrams.
Neuro imaging studies reveal that reading symbols involves more bilateral
activation (left and right brain) than reading alphabetic scripts which is
predominantly a left brain function (Pugh et al, 2001). So by using symbols, we
use more of our brain’s potential which may explain why dyslexia, an
impairment in reading ability is so uncommon in japan (Makita1968, Rozin et al
1971). We’ll now compare
pictures, symbols and
letters

15. Pictures Logographs Alphabet
Proces
s
Stored as images and sound
and processed by Both Left
and right brain
Stored as images and sound
and processed by both Left
and right brain
Stored as sound and
processed predominantly
by the left brain.
Pros Look like what they represent
and can be imagined.
Can be imagined, are more
memorable than letters and are
easier to manipulate
categorise and relate than
pictures and letters
Easy to learn and Can
make any sound such as
foreign words.
Cons Difficult to represent abstract
ideas such as gratitude and
Intelligence. It also takes
significantly more time to
draw in detail.
Takes significantly more time to
learn than 26 letters of the
alphabet.
Difficult to imagine,
occupies a lot of space. Is
a sub optimal use of the
brain’s memory
capabilities.
15
Imagine
tying your
shoes with
just one
hand!
Comparing Pictures, Logographs and the
Alphabet

16. Why are diagrams an optimal use of
the visual system?
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16
Studies show that expert chess players can reproduce the entire chess
board of a real game after seeing it for just 5 seconds. This is because they
have memorised a vast number of chess diagrams called schemas that can
be rapidly accessed when needed. Expert are also able to play chess by
visualising a game without a chess board. (De Groot, 1946, Simon &
Chase1972 )
Chess masters therefore demonstrate some of the full potential of our visual
system if well trained. The ability to visualise spatial relationships is field
independent, which means that it can be applied to memorising other
“useful” information.
Diagrams are therefore an optimal use of the visual system because they
efficiently relate ideas spatially which facilitate comprehension and recall
of information. (Mayer 1990; Larkin & Simon 1987; Novak 1991).
Tolman (1948) popularised the idea of cognitive maps, which as the name
suggests is how the mind represents spatial relationships within our
environment. This ability is necessary for survival and developed as a way to
navigate. We can exploit this natural ability to represent abstract information
such as diagrams.

17. Summary
17
It is based on concepts from Cognitive psychology and Knowledge
Organisation. It also combines features of some of the most effective
learning strategies and representational system's
LMLS is a learning strategy that exploits our natural ability to visualise,
manipulate and categorise symbols and diagrams to improve
memory and comprehension of information.
LMLS facilitates the development of the following skills
1. Critical thinking
2. Creativity
3. Self-regulation
4. Decision making
5. Visualisation
What next?

18. In the following presentations
you will learn:
1. The basis of LMLS in more detail
2. LMLS Features and their Functions
3. The 6 stages of the LMLS Process
To learn more contact Kwaku at:
Logomoniclearning@gmail.com
Have a nice day 
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19. References
Akiti, B.K.N, (2012). Free Recall of Abstract and Concrete Words for Chinese Characters and the
English Alphabet Unpublished Undergraduate dissertation, University of East London
Bizar, M., & Hyde, A. A. (1989). Thinking in context: Teaching cognitive processes across the
elementary school curriculum. White Plains, NY: Longman.
Bower, G.H. (1970). Imagery as a relational organizer in associative learning. Journal of Verbal
Learning and Verbal Behavior, 9, 529-533.
Bower, G.H. (1972). Mental imagery and associative learning. In L. Gregg (Ed.), Cognition in
Learning and Memory, 51-88.
Buzan, T (2009) The Mind Map Book: Unlock Your Creativity, Boost Your Memory, Change Your Life
Chase, W. G., & Simon, H. A. (1973). Perception in chess. Cognitive Psychology, 4, 55-81.
Chi, M.T.H., Glaser, R., & Rees, E. (1982). Expertise in problem solving. In R.J. Sternberg (Ed.),
Advances in the psychology of human intelligence. 7-75.
Chi, M.T.H. & Ohlsson,S. (2005) "Complex declarative learning" in K.J.Holyoak & R. G. Morrison
(eds.) The Cambridge Handbook of Thinking and Reasoning ch.16 , 371-399.
Craik, F. and Lockhart, R. (1972). Levels of processing: A framework for memory research. Journal
of Verbal Learning and Verbal Behavior, 11(6), 671-684.
de Groot, A.D. (1946). Het denken van de schaker. [The thought of the chess player.] Amsterdam:
North-Holland. (Updated translation published as Thought and choice in chess, Mouton, The Hague,
1965; corrected second edition published in 1978.)
Haxby, J. V., C. L. Grady, B. Horwitz, L. G. Ungerleider, M. Mishkin, R. E. Carson, P. Herscovitch, M.
B. Schapiro, and S. I. Rapoport. (1991). Dissociation of object and spatial vision processing
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Larkin. J. & Simon,H, (1987). Why a diagram is (sometimes) worth 10.000 words. Cognitive
Science. II. 65-99
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20. References Cont
Makita, K. (1968). The rarity of reading difficulty in Japanese children. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 38, 599-614.
Mayer, R. E., & Anderson, R. B. (1992). The instructive animation: Helping students build connections between words and
pictures in multimedia learning. Journal of Educational Psychology, 84, 444–452.
Mayer, R. E. and Gallini, J. K. (1990) When is an illustration worth ten thousand words? Journal of Educational Psychology,
82(4), 715-726
Mayer, R. E. (1997). Multimedia learning: Are we asking the right questions? Educational Psychologist ,32,1–19.
Mayer, R. E. and Gallini, J. K. (1990) When is an illustration worth ten thousand words? Journal of Educational Psychology,
82(4), 715-726
Novak, J. D. (1991). Clarify with concept maps.The Science Teacher,58(7), 45-49
O’Keefe, J. and Nadel, L. (1978) The hippocampus as a cognitive map. Oxford University Press.
Paivio. A. (1967b). Paired associate learning and free recall of nouns as a function of concreteness. specificity, imagery, and
meaningfulness. Psychological Reports, 20, 239-245.
Paivio, A (1971). Imagery and verbal processes. New York: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston.
Perfetti, Charles A.; Liu, Ying; Tan, Li Hai (2005). The Lexical Constituency Model: Some Implications of Research on Chinese
for General Theories of Reading. Psychological Review, Vol 112(1), 43-59
Pugh KR, Mencl WE, Jenner AR, Katz L, Frost SJ, Lee JR, Shaywitz SE, Shaywitz BA (2000a) . Functional neuroimaging
studies of reading and reading disability (developmental dyslexia) Mental Retardation & Developmental Disabilities Research
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Rozin, P., Poritsky, S., & Sotsky, R. (1971). American children with reading problems can easily learn to read English
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Schnotz, W; Bannert, M. (2003) Construction and Interference in Learning from Multiple Representation.Learning and
Instruction, v13 n2 , 141-56
Sutton, J.P., de Oliveira, P.C. (1995). Differences in critical thinking skills among students educated in public schools, Christian
schools, and home schools. ERIC Document No.
ED 390-147. LMLS 20

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