How can we design classrooms, and ultimately workplaces, that celebrate different ways of thinking?

Inspired by Temple Grandin's Visual Thinking in a Verbal World, last fall Arya Jadhav facilitated a GVSU Learning Community exploring how visual and verbal thinkers learn, collaborate, and solve problems differently. Through discussion and hands-on activities, participants examined strategies for creating more inclusive learning environments where diverse cognitive styles are recognized as strengths rather than barriers. The Learning Community also challenged participants to rethink collaboration, design adaptive learning experiences, and explore how these ideas become even more relevant in an age of artificial intelligence.

Innovation doesn't happen because everyone thinks the same way, it happens when different perspectives come together. Whether you're developing software, designing user experiences, conducting research, or leading a team, understanding how people process information differently can lead to stronger collaboration and more creative solutions.

Interested in joining a future Learning Community? Explore current and upcoming opportunities through the GVSU Pew Faculty Teaching and Learning Center Learning Communities.