Visual Literacy As UDL Solution Part I.

Definition of Visual Literacy The ability to “discriminate and interpret the visible actions, objects, symbols, natural or man-made, that he encounters in his environment.” The ability to “communicate with others through the creative use of these competencies.” Debes, J. (1969), International Visual Literacy Association (IVLA)

Visual Literacy: An alternative literacy Images as texts A source of primary source materials Visual encoding and decoding Critical examination of the world

Why Visual Literacy?

Offers a different modality in learning Provide a significant source of information and understanding It is an important 21 st century literacy skill Students’ fascination with visuals

Visual Images & Visual Texts Photographs Drawings Maps Cartoons Portraits Charts Diagrams Tables Storyboard Graphic organizers

Traditional Textbook Visuals (Primary & Secondary Sources) Other Texts Other Texts Other Media

Examine this photo

Type your answers to all questions [Use a different color] What do you see in the photo? Write down everything that caught your eye. The first thing I noticed was the A.A. man in the middle with his mouth open yelling. The next thing I noticed was then men all took off there caps. I then wondered why there was one A.A man among a mostly white crowd. When do you think this was taken? Where do you think this was taken somewhere in the 40’s in a progressive city like Chicago or New York. Write a caption for the photo. [Note: a caption is a short line of text used to explain a phot] Let us give a moment of silence

What is the difficult part in the previous task? Type your answers below. The most difficult part would probably having some sort of context to put the picture in. If you know nothing about history or what sort of events took place in recent history (last 150 of so) I wonder how you could put this picture in any sort of relevent context.

Now, choose one caption that you think fits the image from below. Change your choice to blue color. On a hot summer day in 1947, these spectators watch the final moments of a tense baseball game. Some fans are yelling in disapproval at the umpire because they don't like a call he made. Entertainer Paul Robeson sings to laborers working at the racially integrated Moore Shipyards in Oakland, California, on September 21, A mournful crowd gathers to watch the funeral procession of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. drive past.

Type your answers in red. What did you see in the picture that makes you say that? I saw a guy standing that either shows he’s singing or giving homage. I saw a lot of white people bowed down and their caps off. What are the visual clues you noticed that make you think that particular caption goes with that picture? The same thing as I stated above. The African-American man standing in a crowd of white people.

Reflect and Answer What have you learned about visual literacy from this simple task? Different people can perceive different things, and pictures can be interpreted in different ways. Find out what type of a learner you are by finishing a VARK learning style questionnaire: What is the result of your questionnaire? I was mostly a kinesthetic learner, the second highest was visual, my lowest was reading.

Visual Literacy Part II.

For example, photographs are open to varying interpretations from differing perspectives. These perspectives change depending upon: the technological, aesthetic, and rhetorical components of the medium; and the context of people (photographer, viewer, subject), technology, time, and place. Visual images are incomplete, subjective witnesses. Prof. Mark Newman, NLU

The nature of the photographic medium Technology, aesthetics, rhetoric Technology of cameras and film in the early 1900s: Black and white photos Rule of Thirds in composition: foreground, center, background

The varying perspectives Photographer “Provided the results are a faithful reproduction of what the photographer believes he sees, whatever takes place in the making of a picture is justified. In my opinion, therefore, it is logical to make things happen before the camera and when possible, to control the actions of the subject.” -- Arnold Rothstein, Farm Security Administration photographer “While photographs may not lie, liars may photograph.” --Lewis Hine, pioneer documentary photographer

The varying perspectives Viewer Most visual images, such as photographs, are familiar. We see them everyday. They are a part of our daily lives. The way we see things is affected by what we know or believe.... We only see what we look at. To look is an act of choice. --John Berger, Ways of Seeing

What does this photo suggest about European immigrants entering the United States at Ellis island in the early 1900s.? What does the photo not tell us about European immigrants entering the United States at Ellis island in the early 1900s? How can all students use this photograph to learn about European immigration to the United States in the early 1900s? Because photographs are incomplete and subjective texts, they seldom yield one right answer. They also raise more questions than they answer, meaning they can help students connect to other learning resources.

Answer questions Answer the three questions asked about the black & white photo in the previous slide (slide #19). Type your answers in red below: 1)It shows the different ways of dressing, as well as the architectur.e 2) It looks like most of the immigrants were male, that they were dressed very formal, and that they didn’t bring much with them. 3) It does not explain their journey, or where they came from. It can not delve into their professions or their personalities.

Briefly summarize what you have learned from the part II—Visuals as image texts. Any new insights about using visuals, including visual primary sources to teach? It is good way to go into observations, and hypothesis. It helps the students think deeper into what is going on rather than just regurgitating information. It is also a way to keep people engaged. The Visual Primary Resource comes off as more interesting than traditional text.