How do images add value to learning? I’m going for the personal experience rather than theoretical stance; I know there is lots written about learning style preferences: what I take from it is that we all learn in many different ways and that these are not fixed. My personal, classroom and parenting experience tells me that images are powerful when linked to ideas, can be very memorable and can engage one quickly at a fairly deep level. Everything I have ever read about page design, the ways we look at printed material and the power of advertising points to the link between images and learning. Is it too simplistic to say that John Lewis spent £6.2m on their Christmas 2007 advertising campaign because it was the most effective way to teach/influence consumers to buy their products?

How did the marketers design the campaign? Images of the products arranged to cast a shadow of the person for whom the product would make a great gift: images, ideas about quality and plenty to actively engage the viewer in how it might apply to them.

How should teachers choose images? Well much depends on purpose but when we consider actively engaging children then a stunning image that raises relevant questions would be a good starting point- and the £6.2m just reinforces the point!