1. Describe the relationship between visual thinking, learning, communication, and literacy. Explain why visual literacy is important in today’s society. Provide examples for both parts of the question. (80 points)
The reason visual literacy is important is because we live in a society where visuals heavily used. If students are able to learn about visual literacy they will be able to better interpret the visuals they come into contact with. When students are visual literate they will be able to get more out of the texts that are paired with visuals to enhance it. These techniques will help the students to visualize the text and concepts better. It is also important for students to understand how visual and the media are affecting their lives. They will then be able to look at visuals and understand what they are looking at, while be skeptical and educated. Visual literacy enhances critical thinking, which in turn enhances intellectual capacity. A huge example of this is by educating our students about ads they are coming in contact with, especially ones that are heavily using Photoshop or portraying sexist’s ideals. If we teach them how to not compare themselves to these images, as no one can achieve them, we will be able to help them to have a better self-image. This is a huge problem that surfaces in the culture we live in today. It is also important to finally note, visual literacy helps students understand and write things to memory, so it should be more widely used in the classroom.
2. Explain how symbols influence communication. Discuss and provide examples of action language (reflexive actions, conventional signals, appearance, physical attributes, gestures, roles, groups, and space). (40 points)
The three theoretical constructs of visual literacy are visual thinking, visual learning, and visual communication. Throughout time, the term visual literacy has been very ill defined, therefor it is hard to give an exact definition or meaning of visual literacy. The best way to do it is to break it down and talk about the parts that make up visual literacy, which are: visual thinking, visual learning, and visual communication.
Although visual literacy has not always had an exact definition it can be thought of as the learned ability to look at visual messages and interpret it accurately. It is also the ability to create a message, while thinking about visual thinking, learning and communication. Visual literacy allows us to understand the use of images and reversely, we are able to think and express ourselves by the use of images. Having the ability to interact critically with the symbols of mass media is perhaps the most important aspect of visual literacy today. This has developed overtime and people need to critically think about what these symbols mean and how they are affecting them.
Visual thinking is the internal reaction stage; it is when a person has the ability to see visual shapes as images. This stage will have more manipulation of mental images and also more sensory and emotional association than the other stages. Visual thinking is being able to take mental images and organize them in a way that we will be able to relate to. For example, if there were a pattern that has a green triangle, a blue square and another green triangle, I would be able to look at this and know a blue square is going to be next. You could also look at other elements such as the shape, lines, texture and composition. During this stage it is important that we visualize the images. Visual thinking is being able to manipulate symbols representing elements of the environment by using imagery.
Visual learning is the most complex of the stages because it refers to both learning from visuals and research on designing visuals for instruction. In this stage we really want to take away learning from pictures and media. While learning from the visuals it is very focused on acquiring the knowledge. Then the construction of the knowledge will happen so you can understand and transfer the knowledge acquired.
Visual Communication is using pictorial and graphic symbols to express ideas and to teach people in and outside of the school setting. The learning process is a form of communication and for it to occur there has to be an exchange of meaning. Visual communication, therefore, is using visual symbols to express ideas and convey meaning.
Symbols are the foundation for all significant communication. If we did not have symbols, communication would not be possible as a language. An example of a popular communicative skill is a smile or a handshake. Initially a symbol does have a broad meaning, but when it is introduce with different elements its meaning changes. The reason symbols are able to convey meaning is because of the visual similarities between the object and the idea. For example, you are able to see a picture of a bike and understand it is referring to riding a bike. Symbols influence communication heavily by enhancing in and helping to bring meaning to it.
Action language is the nonverbal language that communicates feelings through actions and cues presented by an individual. Action language can be used with verbal medium but does not have to. Action language can provide information, regulate interaction, express intimacy, exercise social control and facilitate service or task-goals. It can be used for purposeful communication, but it is generally used in a more unconscious aspect. These types of cues can categorize action language: reflective actions, conventional signs, appearances, gestures and the use of space.
A reflexive action is the most basic and easily understood nonverbal cue. A reflexive action can give away our true feelings and attitudes without even meaning to, this is referred to as nonverbal leakage. These nonverbal cues are formed by personal experiences and life-long observations. An example of this would be the reaction on my face after it was run over by a car. You would be able to tell I was in a deep amount of pain by my reaction.
A conventional signal is a signal we have learned by social and cultural understandings. The hands and facial expressions are a vocabulary, which needs to be taught to understand. Conventional signals were created to help people speak in impossible or impractical situations and this was a way you can substitute it out for words. An example of this is baseball signs. Another popular conventional signal is sign language.
Appearance in the next action language and it is a major aspect of social interaction. Clothes can largely impact the way people look and view you. They can establish an identity by things such as the well-being of the person, his/her attitude towards others, and their social status. Some of the items that may provide cues about a person are cosmetics, glasses, and hairstyles. Someone’s appearance can have an overall effect on his or her first impression. An important aspect of this is appearance can be purposefully changed, so true identity may be purposefully hidden.
Physical attitudes are connected to a person’s appearance but focused more on things such as age, body build, sex, etc. These components help to provide useful cues to a person’s personality. A person’s face gives the most information to a person’s emotional state and it has the most communicative value. Even the way people sit, stand or lean can tells us about how they are feeling and even their age or physical health.
Gestures are action language considered to be purposeful. They are mainly used for intentional communication between people. This intentional body movement could help to emphasize a point trying to make or an attitude trying to be expressed. In most cultures a verbal communication needs to be combined with a nonverbal action. A gesture can also be used without words to express an idea or emotion, for example, a shoulder shrug. A shoulder shrug would be able to convey that I do not know or I am confused about something without having to use any words.
Roles are use to understand the context and nature of body language. It helps people to understand the role of the person giving the cue and also the person receiving it. It is important to know that many people play different roles, even at the same time. An example of this would be someone with a hairbrush in a salon; because of the hairbrush we know they are going to be a hairdresser. Knowing the background of a situation will help to identify the current role of the individual, for example their outfit or the group they are with.
Common features, location, and purpose of the various individuals identify a group. An individual member of a group may not be identified unless it was wearing a uniform or the group was present. For example, if you were at a pizza hut and a group of young boys walked in with matching uniforms, you could identify them as baseball players. Another characteristic that may cue you is the proximity of individuals, activities, and tasks.
Space is the final action language and it views the way people use and occupy space. The distance we maintain when we are next to another individual conveys much information about each other’s attitudes and emotions. The two types of space needed by most people are territory and personal space. Territory space is the geographical area, the land. Personal space is seen as an “individual bubble” around an individual. When someone violates this space, it can cause discomfort for some individuals. The way we treat people inside our personal bubble can send a nonverbal messages to others.
3. Discuss the selection of visuals for specific learning purposes. Why is visual literacy important both within the classroom and business setting? (40 points)
In a classroom a teacher can purposefully use visuals to enhance the learning. When thinking about which section of visuals to use, the specific learning purpose needs to be considered. When using visual aids in the classroom, you must always make sure it has an instructional purpose. Visual aids should be used to improve the students learning, understanding, and connections with the material. Visual media can be used to help students learn concrete concepts or even identify spatial relationships. It is important to test visual learning by visual means.
Photographs or pictures are visuals that could be used for many different reasons. One purpose is to motivate or arouse a student’s interest in a topic. This could easily be done by hanging up photographs related to the next unit in the classroom before starting it. This would hopefully encourage students to want to learn about the new content. A photograph could also be used in an introduction activity, used for transitions and as the major focus of the learning activity. One reason to use visuals in the classroom is to help recall verbal material by associating it with mental images. For example, I could use visuals to help students learn the state capitols.
Using visuals to enhance a learning activity could help benefit cooperative learning. The students can break down the visual and come to an agreement on the meaning. This is a great opportunity for the students to build upon each other’s ideas. A picture could also be used for an inquiry process. Visuals help enhance learning tasks when it requires memory, as they help to commit it to your memory for a longer time. One of the best uses for visuals is to use the visuals to support the words for a deeper understanding.
A teacher could also use advertisements for a specific learning purpose. Advertisements have a huge cultural message tied into them. A good example they gave from the book is for students to look at comparisons of advertisements for different countries. This will allow the students to discover the cultural differences in advertisements through discovery. Another learning purpose a teacher could focus on with advertisements is talking about values or stereotypes.
If you want the students to learn a motor or processing skill it would be a good idea to use visuals to demonstrate the process. When visual difference is needed, using visual media is helpful for students to understand it and then form it in their memory.
The use of illustration with text is to illustrate a portion of the text to add something, which would not be identified with the text alone. These illustrations serve five functions, which are: decoration, representation, organization, interpretation, and transformation. When an illustration tells the same story, as the text it is paired with it is representational. When an illustration shows the relationship between parts or steps in a process it is going to be organizational. Organization helps to show several relationships between several parts or steps in a process described in the text, for example, step-by-step diagrams. Interpretational pictures will help to clarify anything that is conceptually dense. Transformational pictures are unlikely to be found in textbooks, but are used to impact the student’s memory directly (Moore, 1994, p. 242).
It is important for business to use visual so they can communicate their message, especially with presentation. Advertising is also important for a business, and what most people will see if they do not work for the organization. The visual enhance the presentations and help the presenter get across what they would like to say. It is also very important to include visuals into a classroom for all for all of the reasons listed above. These enhancements that can be made by supporting with visuals will positive effect the students performance and understanding.
4. Discuss common understandings of the moral nature of the content and purpose of visuals. Include a discussion of an individual’s responsibility to the ethical presentation of visuals. Provide at least three examples where this might be a consideration. (40 points)
The content of a visual is whatever is produced and then later viewed by the intended audience. The purpose of a visual is meant to specify why the visual was made, the end result that we want to happen with the visual. When looking at visual esthetics, it is good to start by looking over the content and purpose of the visual. Morally controversial subjects are visual that often contain content about sexual and expose genitals. Visuals of our private life, and made pubic without permission are also another moral dilemma.
The purpose of visuals is to affect us intellectually, emotionally, physically and spiritually. Visuals can be used to portray the wrong message, such as hate against a specific group of people. Political use of visuals does not tell us more about the individuals we want to vote for, but instead portray the negative side of their opponents or to make you feel good about the specific person.
Some visuals are general moral, such as family portraits, advertising pictures that help economies, computer generated images help to avoid dangerous invasive surgery, and explanatory pictures pair with academics (Moore, 1994, p. 372),
It is an individual’s responsibility to make sure they are following the guidelines to using and posting visuals. In today’s culture we need to ensure they are using correct citing and also have the correct permission to post the visual. This is very important in our culture today, because it is a practice we need to get better out so our students also need to being citing correctly. When it comes to the actual content of the visual, we need to think before we post it. We as adults can follow the same morale guidelines we follow in our lives and apply that to visuals.
One example of an ethical presentation visual I would have to be aware is using photographs I found off of the Internet. I would have to ensure that it was a fair use photo. I would then have to post the link to where I found the photo, for the photo credit. This is something that is often overlooked. When I watch presentations, time after time, I see people using photos that are clearly not theirs without any citations.
Another example is anything you post in a school. You need to consider the target audience and what is appropriate. Throughout time we can see that sex sells, and is used in the mainstream media, but the audience needs to be considered. For example, I would never post a poster that had and intimacy in it, even if it promoted something I would want my students to see. So in this example, it would not be moral, considering the target audience.
The last example I am going to talk about is creating a commercial that slanders my appointment I am running against for class president. If I were to make a commercial and provide information that was not true about my opponent so people would vote for me, would not be moral. This would be considered slander and it would definitely be considered unmoral.
Works Cited
Moore, D. (1994). Visual literacy: A spectrum of visual learning. Englewood Cliffs,
N.J.: Educational Technology Publications.
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