PIDO Framework & Visual Teachers: Redefining How Teachers Use AI and Freehand Visualization
Introduction
“Do you understand?” asks the teacher.
“Yes, teacher,” reply the students.
But when the exam papers are handed out, the truth emerges — many students did not really understand. This is a story we hear too often in classrooms, not just in Malaysia but around the world.
As educators, we face a critical challenge: how do we ensure students truly understand and retain knowledge, not just nod their heads in agreement? This is the reason we created the Visual Teachers program and why I developed the PIDO Framework.
Together, these two innovations combine the timeless power of freehand visualization (VTF) with the cutting-edge potential of artificial intelligence (AI). The result? Classrooms where teachers communicate more effectively, and students engage more deeply.
✍️ Visualization Through Freehand (VTF): The Missing Skill
In an age dominated by PowerPoints, animations, and digital slides, many teachers have forgotten the simple, powerful art of sketching.
Visualization Through Freehand (VTF) — introduced by my colleague Dr. Ruzaimi Mat Rani — brings this skill back to life. With just a pen and whiteboard, teachers can sketch spontaneously, breaking down abstract concepts into simple, visual representations.
Research supports this approach:
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Edutopia reports that sketching improves student comprehension by up to 50%.
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Richard Mayer’s Multimedia Learning Theory emphasizes that humans learn best when words and visuals are combined.
Over the past two years, through the Visual Teachers program, we have trained nearly 2,000 teachers across Johor, Perak, and Terengganu. Feedback has been consistent: teachers find VTF not only practical, but also empowering. It gives them confidence to communicate complex ideas more clearly, and it helps students grasp lessons faster.
The book Profits from Visuals now serves as a key reference for teachers developing this skill — a textbook proving that simple sketches can transform teaching.
๐ค The AI Challenge: Prompting Without Structure
Alongside visual skills, many teachers are beginning to experiment with AI tools like ChatGPT. They see the potential — lesson plans, creative ideas, and even feedback on teaching materials. But there is a recurring problem: most prompts are unstructured.
When teachers type vague prompts like:
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“Make me a lesson plan for Year 3 mathematics.”
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“Give me ideas for teaching science about light.”
The answers they receive are often too broad, too generic, or irrelevant to their local classroom context. Without structure, AI becomes more of a distraction than a support system.
๐ ️ PIDO Framework: A Structured Approach to AI
This is where the PIDO Framework comes in. Created in 2022, PIDO is my contribution to helping teachers (and professionals in many other fields) communicate effectively with AI.
PIDO stands for:
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P – Parameter: Define the role or context.
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I – Instruction: Clearly state what you want AI to do.
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D – Details: Add supporting information for precision.
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O – Output: Specify the form of the response.
Here’s an example.
Unstructured Prompt:
“Draw something to teach fractions.”
๐ AI produces a generic diagram of a circle divided into parts.
PIDO Prompt:
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P (Parameter): I am a Year 1 teacher with 10 years of experience.
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I (Instruction): Act as a visual education expert to evaluate my sketch.
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D (Details): I want to teach fractions using local food like roti canai.
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O (Output): Suggest 3 sketch ideas, improvements, and rate them from 1–10.
๐ Result: AI generates sketches relevant to the local context, practical suggestions, and even ratings that guide teachers toward better teaching visuals.
The difference is dramatic. With PIDO, teachers no longer get random suggestions. Instead, they receive structured, meaningful feedback that directly enhances their teaching practice.
๐ฑ The Power of Combining VTF & PIDO
When we combine VTF and PIDO in the Visual Teachers program, the results are transformative:
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Teachers sketch confidently in real time.
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AI provides context-specific suggestions through structured prompts.
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Lesson plans become more inclusive, engaging, and effective.
At Yayasan Wiba Prima, we’ve seen this not only with teachers but also in training with government agencies and corporations. PIDO works because it’s flexible — the same framework applies whether you’re a teacher, manager, or policymaker.
But in education, the impact is especially profound. Teachers gain both the human skill of visualization and the digital skill of AI prompting. Together, these prepare them — and their students — for the future.
๐ The Islamic Perspective: Itqan in Education
As a Muslim educator, I find deep inspiration in Islam’s emphasis on clarity and excellence in communication.
Allah SWT says in Surah Ibrahim (14:4):
“And We did not send any messenger except [speaking] in the language of his people to state clearly to them.”
The Prophet Muhammad ๏ทบ also said:
“Allah loves that when any of you does a job, he does it with itqan (excellence).” (Reported by al-Bayhaqi)
For me, VTF and PIDO are tools to help teachers achieve itqan in education — teaching in the clearest, most excellent way possible so that students truly understand.
๐ฎ The Classroom of the Future
Picture this:
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A teacher sketches a simple drawing on the whiteboard.
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AI, guided by PIDO, gives instant feedback and suggestions.
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Students no longer just nod “yes,” but genuinely understand and engage.
This is not science fiction. It is happening now in Malaysia through the Visual Teachers program. With VTF and PIDO, we are reshaping how teachers teach and how students learn.
Conclusion
Education is about more than delivering content. It’s about ensuring understanding. And to do that, teachers need tools that bridge the gap between explanation and comprehension.
With VTF, teachers regain the power of spontaneous, visual communication. With PIDO, they learn to harness AI effectively and with structure. Together, these tools transform classrooms into spaces of clarity, creativity, and confidence.
This is the future we are building through Visual Teachers and PIDO. A future where teachers are empowered, students are inspired, and education in Malaysia becomes a model for the world.
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