A three-stage review route for an invented teaching figure
By Figran Team
Purpose
Use this route to review the information carried by a teaching figure before drafting, during revision, and at handoff. It connects a self-contained planning task and two existing open teaching resources with one review record. It is a suggested activity, not a tested lesson or evidence of learning gains.
Start with a small, invented example
Imagine a handout that shows three boxes labelled “Starting material”, “Intermediate step”, and “Review output”, connected in that order. The arrows mean sequence only. There are no measurements, quantities, reaction mechanisms, or claims about a real process. Keep this statement beside the example throughout the activity.
Stage 1 — Choose the representation before drafting
First distinguish three possibilities: an image can depict appearance; a flowchart can express a stated sequence; a data plot needs actual quantities and meaningful axes. Choose the representation by the information available, rather than by visual preference.
For the invented example, write down the relation the reader needs to understand. A sequence can be described with a flowchart; a data plot would require actual data and meaningful axes. Record your choice and the information still missing. A visually polished result does not supply missing measurements.
Review record, first entry:
- Intended relation: [write your answer]
- Chosen representation: [write your answer]
- Information available: [write your answer]
- Information still missing: [write your answer]
Stage 2 — Change the layout without changing the claim
Read “A revision prompt that changes layout without adding scientific claims”:
https://figran.mataroa.blog/blog/a-revision-prompt-that-changes-layout-without-adding-scientific-claims/
Write a revision request for the invented example. Ask for one concrete layout change, such as more space between boxes. Then state the boundaries: preserve the three labels, keep the same sequence, and add no new scientific detail. Compare the request with those boundaries before using it in any design tool.
Review record, second entry:
- Layout change requested: [write your answer]
- Labels that must remain: [write your answer]
- Relation that must remain: [write your answer]
- New detail that must not be introduced: [write your answer]
Stage 3 — Preserve the meaning at handoff
Read “A text companion that preserves a teaching figure's meaning”:
https://figran.mataroa.blog/blog/a-text-companion-that-preserves-a-teaching-figures-meaning/
Write a short text companion that names the three boxes and explains the sequence in reading order. Include the statement that this is an invented example and that the arrows do not show amount or causation. Check that the companion still makes sense when read without looking at the visual. This exercise does not establish accessibility certification.
Review record, third entry:
- Reading order: [write your answer]
- Meaning of the connections: [write your answer]
- What the figure does not establish: [write your answer]
- Text companion: [write your answer]
Close the review
Keep the three entries with the figure. A peer can mark each entry “clear”, “needs clarification”, or “missing”, with a specific reason. For example, “needs clarification: the arrow meaning is absent from the text companion” gives a concrete next revision. Do not use a total score as proof that the science is correct.
If the real teaching task contains evidence that differs from this invented sequence, replace the example and repeat the three checks. Do not force the real material into the example's structure.
About this resource
Figran Team is affiliated with Figran, a tool for creating scientific and teaching visuals: https://figran.net/ . This text was prepared with AI assistance and reviewed for the limits stated above. It does not report a classroom trial, a research result, or a comparison of products. No use of Figran or any particular tool is required for the activity.
Reuse
The original text of this guide is offered under CC BY 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ . Attribute Figran Team and link to the guide. Linked resources retain their own stated terms. This text licence does not license Figran software, trademarks, logos, or third-party materials.
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