VISUAL LITERACY

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VISUAL LITERACY
Wendy Campbell and Julie Ramsay Special thanks
to Derek Rakowski ILS Specialist
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Our children are coming to the very visual
medium of computers at an earlier and earlier
age
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Back to the Basics?

• Humans have been using pictures to communicate
  since our earliest days. The symbols and meanings
  conveyed in cave paintings eventually changed and
  developed into the alphabet we use today.

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What is Visual Literacy?

• Visual Literacy is the ability to interpret, use,
  appreciate, and create images and video using
  both conventional and 21st century media in ways
  that advance thinking, decision making,
  communication, and learning.

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The Brains Cortex
As human beings, our brains are wired for
images. According to research we process
visuals 60,000 times faster than text. This is
because we take in all the data from an image
simultaneously while we process text in a
sequential fashion. Lynell Burmark, Visual
Literacy Learn to See, See to Learn
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Technology in the Education Arena

• Why would students use technology?
• As a presentation tool
• As a means to construct and build knowledge
• As a way to represent understanding in
  differentiated ways
• To find answers to their questions

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An Example from the CBE
"We need to work with today's learners in the
medium of their generation..." Steve Jobs
Douglas Harkness DHTV Racism Video http//schools
.cbe.ab.ca/b347/DHS Html/filmlibrary2.html
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Visual Literacy Today

• Students have greater access to images and video
  than ever before
• A picture is worth a thousand words
• Technology makes it easy for students to create
• No cost for developing
• Can modify and try again
• Easy to use
• Easy to edit and produce

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How might YOUR students use Technology and Visual
Literacy as strategies to enhance their learning?
Documenting projects? ESL? Math? Reading and
Writing? Art? Science? Global Citizenship?
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Why would we integrate visual literacy into our
classrooms?

• Visioning
• Problem Solving
• Planning
• Research
• Communication
• Creativity, Passion, Ownership
• Team building, Collaboration
• Visual and other types of literacy

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Amr on Visual Literacy
Student Voice
Michael on Visual Literacy
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Teacher Voice
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Sharing Time

• Lets do some sharing
• Next Steps
• Keep playing
• Get students trying it. They will figure it out
• Have fun!