A synchronoptic view is a graphic display of a number of entities

Entity

An entity is something that has a distinct, separate existence, although it need not be a material existence. In particular, abstractions and legal fictions are usually regarded as entities. In general, there is also no presumption that an entity is animate.An entity could be viewed as a set...

 as they proceed through time. A synchronoptic view can be used for many purposes but is best suited to the visual display of history

History

History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...

. A number of related timeline

Chronology

Chronology is the science of arranging events in their order of occurrence in time, such as the use of a timeline or sequence of events. It is also "the determination of the actual temporal sequence of past events".Chronology is part of periodization...

s can be drawn on a single chart showing which events and lives are contemporary and which are unconnected.

A synchronoptic view has important education

Education

Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...

al advantages. Visible

Visual perception

Visual perception is the ability to interpret information and surroundings from the effects of visible light reaching the eye. The resulting perception is also known as eyesight, sight, or vision...

 information is much more easily learned, than when it is presented only in pure text form.

Etymology

The concept

Concept

The word concept is used in ordinary language as well as in almost all academic disciplines. Particularly in philosophy, psychology and cognitive sciences the term is much used and much discussed. WordNet defines concept: "conception, construct ". However, the meaning of the term concept is much...

 in question is made visual

Visual perception

Visual perception is the ability to interpret information and surroundings from the effects of visible light reaching the eye. The resulting perception is also known as eyesight, sight, or vision...

 — hence optic.
The elements are displayed synchronously

Synchronization

Synchronization is timekeeping which requires the coordination of events to operate a system in unison. The familiar conductor of an orchestra serves to keep the orchestra in time....

: i.e. which events in one area happened at the same time as events in another seemingly unrelated area.
Thus synchron-optic.

Synchronoptic also means visible at the same time", or "with parallel views". i.e. The user gets a view of all the information in one go.

Example uses

History

History

History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...

 is an ideal subject for a synchronoptic view. Multiple timeline

Timeline

A timeline is a way of displaying a list of events in chronological order, sometimes described as a project artifact . It is typically a graphic design showing a long bar labeled with dates alongside itself and events labeled on points where they would have happened.-Uses of timelines:Timelines...

s are able to show how events interacted. Multiple lifelines can show which people were contemporaries.
(See example)

A combination of maps is also synchronoptic when it displays successive moments in time.

External links

• Hyper History Online. A good example of a synchronoptic view of history