Visual Literacy

1. Pat Auger Univ. of West Ga. MEDT 8484 Fall, 2010 • Technology: Supporting the Teaching of Visual Literacy

2. Abstract • The ability of students to be visually literate is • essential to their overall learning, and the use of technology can enhance the instruction and • acquisition of this vital capability. • This project examines the effectiveness of technology when combined with the teaching of visual literacy.

3. The qualitative research provides a definition of visual literacy and examples of successful technologies and tools which can aid in classroom training. • Data has been collected from published research and includes narratives and case studies. • Student responses and products will demonstrate the effectiveness of visual literacy lessons that have incorporated technology.

4. Research Project Click on titles to link to documents.

5. Introduction • Power & emotion • Learned skill • Definition • Questions to ask • New challenges • Will technology help?

6. Intro Reflection The introduction was one of the easiest parts of the project to complete. Visual literacy is a broad subject and the most difficult task in writing the intro was deciding what not to include. It is also a very interesting subject about which I am passionate. Initial comments from classmates were encouraging as to the topic selection and that it related to and supported their topics.

7. Literature Review The articles supported these facts: Visual literacy (VL) training increases comprehension & critical thinking. Communicating effectively and decoding meaning are integral elements to the skill. Training in proper design principles combats visual illiteracy. A number of technologies can be used to support VL instruction: photography, online image searches, blogs, graphs, and film.

8. Literature Reflection The fifteen articles were helpful in providing excellent definitions of VL, lesson suggestions and examples of the use of technology. The articles were often pertinent to other classmates’ topics and encouraged a number of conversations. As I narrowed the topic to the use of technology to support the teaching of VL, I was able to find qualitative studies that had incorporated a technology into the curriculum. However, I was unable to find quantitative studies which would provide data for my research.

9. Problem Statement • Two revisions later - finally a statement….. • “How can technology support the teaching of • visual literacy to students?” • VL can be learned; • Teachers can use variety of technologies to teach VL and model use for students; • Comprehension & critical thinking skills grow.

10. Problem Statement Reflection It seemed to take weeks to pinpoint my problem statement. There was so much information covering a broad range of topics within the subject area that it was difficult to narrow it down. After suggestions from classmates and Dr. Baylen, I was able to narrow the problem statement down to the effectiveness of technology on the teaching of visual literacy. It added the technology component and yet remained general enough to reflect the available research.

11. Methods Overview Qualitative research method Grounded theory provided the method for developing a theory from collected, analyzed data. Characteristics include: fit when theory must fit the real-world data; understandable to everyone and generality that applies the theory to a large audience. Qualitative data will be collected from narratives, interviews, open-ended questions and responses from students and teachers. Johnson & Christensen, 2008

12. Methods Reflection The articles and research I gathered was qualitative and my research would be also. The articles were filled with narratives, interviews and examples of incorporating visual literacy and technology into lessons. I initially had difficulty incorporating quantitative data into a qualitative study. I could have structured my data collection differently, but felt that the student responses and products would suffice to demonstrate understanding , critical thinking skills and incorporation of visual design principles learned in the lessons.

13. Data Collection Direct observation, open-ended questions, interviews and narratives are popular methods of collecting data in a grounded theory research plan. I used each of these in my project. I plan to survey teachers and interview them, observe and record responses of students when teaching a visual literacy lesson, interview the students, and compile the data for analysis. The ongoing interplay of data and researcher utilizes the constant comparative method (Johnson & Christensen, 2008).

14. Collection Reflection At this point, I was feeling pressure to provide quantitative data for the project. It seemed like a ‘necessary evil’ and everyone else was including it in their projects! As I worked through the lesson plan (which changed weekly for a while), I became convinced that I could obtain the data I needed to support the problem statement without using a control and variable arrangement.

15. I believe the initial assessment given to the students will provide a baseline of what they know about advertisement designs and their final product (using a rubric) will reflect an improvement of their skills and knowledge.

16. Data Collection Tools Surveys & Assessments Interviews – Teachers and students Open-ended questions Discussions Student Reflections Student Products The ongoing interplay of data and researcher utilizes the constant comparative method which deepens the understanding of the research subject. Johnson & Christensen, 2008

17. Data Tools Reflection After deciding how to approach the lesson, it was fairly easy to incorporate tools for data collection in the plan. All of the tools that I plan to use were ones that were used in the literature and supported a qualitative study. I discovered a number of assessment tools that I was able to adapt and incorporate into my lesson plans.

18. The first tool is an assessment chart to use with a lesson about advertising deconstruction reflecting what they know about design principles. They are a key component of visual literacy and this is administered at the beginning of the lesson. Student responses and discussions throughout the lesson will be noted and transcribed to provide a picture of how well they are understanding and internalizing the lesson concepts. A rubric will guide them in the design of their final product.

19. Data Analysis Grounded theory uses three stages to analyze data: open coding, axial coding and selective coding. Data is analyzed by examining transcripts of interviews, discussions and student responses to name and categorize elements to support the research statement. This method of analysis allows for ongoing discoveries of supporting data. Johnson & Christensen, 2008

20. Data Analysis Reflection Being mathematically challenged, this was a difficult area for me to understand and put into a project. After some additional time with the text, I think I have a handle on it and have put the appropriate analysis tool with the correct assessment. Much of my data will be straightforward, but the transcriptions and notes requiring coding may present some difficulty. Analysis will be easier to accomplish as the data is categorized and charted.

21. Timeline Conducting the research plan will include: Weeks 1 - 4: Surveys to teachers; interviews conducted; results compiled. Weeks 5 - 6: Design subject appropriate lessons; schedule classes; prepare materials. Weeks 7 – 10: Teaching classes; data collection; student interviews; evaluate student products. Weeks 11 – 12: Analyze data; compile results Week 13: Present results to staff.

22. TimelineReflection I am anticipating that this timeframe would accommodate the needs of the research plan. The teacher survey will help me determine who is interested in collaborating and having me conduct the research in their class. The interviews with the teachers will be valuable in assessing the teacher’s knowledge of visual literacy and their use of technology.

23. After the plans are finalized, I will be able to design a lesson plan that will be appropriate for that subject. I will have to use a consistent lesson plan with each discipline, but may need to tie it to the subject matter differently. Depending on the number of classes I am able to teach, I should have time to collect and analyze the data and then present the results to the staff in the allotted time.

24. Concluding Summary Beneficial for life Technology enhances Easily access Proven effectiveness

25. Summary Reflection As I finished my project, I was already thinking of ways to change or improve it. As the project evolved, certain ideas became obsolete and others gained importance. Input from classmates was especially helpful in challenging my process and clarifying my goals. Most importantly, I really believe that visual literacy it an important skill for all students to attain. Technology is a tool that can greatly enhance and promote it in the classroom. This project will show that it is an valuable tool in advancing visual literacy skills.

26. References Resources for this project include twenty books, journal articles and websites that were invaluable in conducting this research.

27. Reference Reflection The references that I used were excellent in providing in providing the necessary information and examples of visual literacy integration and training. The biggest problem was narrowing the articles down to a manageable number and then just getting on with the plan. I was continually reminded of Huff’s admonishment to quit reading and start writing (Huff, 2009)!

28. Appendices The appendices include examples of items to be used in the research project. It includes: A survey for teachers to indicate their interest in participating in the project. Student advertisement assessment form for initial evaluation of their knowledge of good design principles. A rubric for the final multimedia product to showcase their understanding of the lesson and their use of technology to present their ideas.

29. Appendices Reflection The items in the appendix are generic so they can be adapted to the needs of the different subject areas in which the lesson might be presented. I do not anticipate much change to them, but they could be easily adapted to a particular lesson. When I narrowed my lesson to reviewing advertisements for an ad campaign (cigarettes, for example), it was easier to focus on the assessment tools. I think this will be a useful, engaging subject to introduce visual literacy to a class.

30. PresentationReferences Avgerinou, M. (2009). Reviewing Visual Literacy in the “Bain d’ Images” Era. Tech Trends: Linking Research & Practice to Improve Learning, 53(2), 28-34. Retrieved from Academic Search Complete. Huff, A. (2009). Designing research for publication. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc. Johnson, B., & Christensen, L. (2008). Educational research: quantitative, qualitative, and mixed approaches. (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications, Inc. Thibault, M. & Walbert, D., (2003). Reading images: an introduction to visual literacy. LearnNC, 2005. Retrieved from http://www.learnc.org Zambo, D. (2009). Using visual literacy to help adolescents understand how images influence their lives. Teaching Exceptional Children 41(6), 60-67. Retrieved from EBSCO database.