Copyrights 2007, M.J. Zarzycka, The Importance of Teaching Visual Literacy to Non-Designers The Importance of Teaching Visual Literacy to Non-Designers Monika Zarzycka 2007 IGAEA Conference Monika Zarzycka 2007 IGAEA Conference

Copyrights 2007, M.J. Zarzycka, The Importance of Teaching Visual Literacy to Non-Designers Introduction Importance of Visual Literacy Required for business-oriented professionals Presentations, corporate communications, newsletters, business cards, websites Visual presentation of data: charts, graphs, symbols Importance of Visual Literacy Required for business-oriented professionals Presentations, corporate communications, newsletters, business cards, websites Visual presentation of data: charts, graphs, symbols

Copyrights 2007, M.J. Zarzycka, The Importance of Teaching Visual Literacy to Non-Designers Introduction Problem Many people are visually illiterate Not enough education/training in visual design Solution Offer courses in visual communications The Information and Logistics Technology (ILT) Department at the University of Houston (UH) offers a visual literacy course GRTC Visual Communications Systems Problem Many people are visually illiterate Not enough education/training in visual design Solution Offer courses in visual communications The Information and Logistics Technology (ILT) Department at the University of Houston (UH) offers a visual literacy course GRTC Visual Communications Systems

Copyrights 2007, M.J. Zarzycka, The Importance of Teaching Visual Literacy to Non-Designers GRTC 3353 GRTC 3353 is an introductory course that is required of all students in the UH ILT department Students are introduced to: principles of graphic design typography and how to work with type scanning and digital photography color theory and use newsletter and newspaper design identity and advertising design GRTC 3353 is an introductory course that is required of all students in the UH ILT department Students are introduced to: principles of graphic design typography and how to work with type scanning and digital photography color theory and use newsletter and newspaper design identity and advertising design

Copyrights 2007, M.J. Zarzycka, The Importance of Teaching Visual Literacy to Non-Designers GRTC 3353 Students are also taught basic design concepts using Microsoft Word or Microsoft PowerPoint Not recommended as professional graphic design applications but acceptable as in-office applications Why Microsoft Word? Students learn design concepts without spending excessive class time learning new software programs that many of them would never use after the course Students are also taught basic design concepts using Microsoft Word or Microsoft PowerPoint Not recommended as professional graphic design applications but acceptable as in-office applications Why Microsoft Word? Students learn design concepts without spending excessive class time learning new software programs that many of them would never use after the course

Copyrights 2007, M.J. Zarzycka, The Importance of Teaching Visual Literacy to Non-Designers GRTC 3353 The course is divided into weekly 2-hour lectures and 3-hour lab sessions Lecture: weekly quizzes, homework Lab: Hands-on practice Assignments are designed to familiarize students with design concepts introduced during lecture and to evaluate their ability to apply design concepts to their own work Simple invitations, letterhead, business card The course is divided into weekly 2-hour lectures and 3-hour lab sessions Lecture: weekly quizzes, homework Lab: Hands-on practice Assignments are designed to familiarize students with design concepts introduced during lecture and to evaluate their ability to apply design concepts to their own work Simple invitations, letterhead, business card

Copyrights 2007, M.J. Zarzycka, The Importance of Teaching Visual Literacy to Non-Designers The Study A study to assess the effectiveness of the GRTC 3353 course Student projects were evaluated Projects designed at the beginning of the semester (pre-course) Similar projects completed at the end of the semester (post-course) A study to assess the effectiveness of the GRTC 3353 course Student projects were evaluated Projects designed at the beginning of the semester (pre-course) Similar projects completed at the end of the semester (post-course)

Copyrights 2007, M.J. Zarzycka, The Importance of Teaching Visual Literacy to Non-Designers Research Questions Major Research Questions Did the GRTC 3353 course: 1. make any impact on students use of typography? 2. make any impact on students adherence to design principles? 3. make any impact on students use of color? 4. prepare students to create more effective visual work at the end of the semester as compared to their skill-level at the beginning of the course? Major Research Questions Did the GRTC 3353 course: 1. make any impact on students use of typography? 2. make any impact on students adherence to design principles? 3. make any impact on students use of color? 4. prepare students to create more effective visual work at the end of the semester as compared to their skill-level at the beginning of the course?

Copyrights 2007, M.J. Zarzycka, The Importance of Teaching Visual Literacy to Non-Designers Assumptions & Limitations Assumptions The students had no previous experience in graphic design The students put an equal amount of effort into both projects that were evaluated Limitations The number of students enrolled in the course No control group Assumptions The students had no previous experience in graphic design The students put an equal amount of effort into both projects that were evaluated Limitations The number of students enrolled in the course No control group

Copyrights 2007, M.J. Zarzycka, The Importance of Teaching Visual Literacy to Non-Designers Participants Participants were 23 students: 1 student: graphic design or a related area, but had no previous experience in design 16 students (70%): Technology Leadership and Supervision 4 students (17%): Logistics Technology 2 students (8%): other fields unrelated to graphic design Participants were 23 students: 1 student: graphic design or a related area, but had no previous experience in design 16 students (70%): Technology Leadership and Supervision 4 students (17%): Logistics Technology 2 students (8%): other fields unrelated to graphic design

Copyrights 2007, M.J. Zarzycka, The Importance of Teaching Visual Literacy to Non-Designers Pre-course Project A wedding invitation It was given at the beginning of Fall 2006 Students received the text for the invitation Students were asked to format the text and turn it into an invitation No additional instructions were given A wedding invitation It was given at the beginning of Fall 2006 Students received the text for the invitation Students were asked to format the text and turn it into an invitation No additional instructions were given

Copyrights 2007, M.J. Zarzycka, The Importance of Teaching Visual Literacy to Non-Designers Post-course Project Students from the pre-course were given the same file to create the wedding invitation in the end of the semester They received exactly the same text and instructions Students from the pre-course were given the same file to create the wedding invitation in the end of the semester They received exactly the same text and instructions

Copyrights 2007, M.J. Zarzycka, The Importance of Teaching Visual Literacy to Non-Designers Judges Two art directors A print products manager A graphic designer All were chosen by the Fogarty Klein Monroe (FKM) Agency, the largest advertising firm in Houston Two art directors A print products manager A graphic designer All were chosen by the Fogarty Klein Monroe (FKM) Agency, the largest advertising firm in Houston

Copyrights 2007, M.J. Zarzycka, The Importance of Teaching Visual Literacy to Non-Designers The Judging Process A week before judging: The researcher took note of which project belonged to which student The judges were not given that information The researcher collected all pre-course and post-course projects, shuffled them, and numbered them randomly A week before judging: The researcher took note of which project belonged to which student The judges were not given that information The researcher collected all pre-course and post-course projects, shuffled them, and numbered them randomly

Copyrights 2007, M.J. Zarzycka, The Importance of Teaching Visual Literacy to Non-Designers The Evaluative Instrument The evaluation sheet: four qualitative items for each project A five-point Likert Scale to judge three questions related to participants: 1. use of typography 2. adherence to design principles 3. use of color The fourth item asked judges to mark either Yes or No if they considered the work to be an effective piece of visual communication The evaluation sheet: four qualitative items for each project A five-point Likert Scale to judge three questions related to participants: 1. use of typography 2. adherence to design principles 3. use of color The fourth item asked judges to mark either Yes or No if they considered the work to be an effective piece of visual communication

Copyrights 2007, M.J. Zarzycka, The Importance of Teaching Visual Literacy to Non-Designers Data Analysis A comparison between responses (46) was conducted by examining individual answers, and by placing each answer in either the pre-course or post-course cluster Both the pre-course and post-course projects were gathered into two groups and analyzed Each of the judges responses was separated by question and placed in either the pre-course or post-course cluster A comparison between responses (46) was conducted by examining individual answers, and by placing each answer in either the pre-course or post-course cluster Both the pre-course and post-course projects were gathered into two groups and analyzed Each of the judges responses was separated by question and placed in either the pre-course or post-course cluster

Copyrights 2007, M.J. Zarzycka, The Importance of Teaching Visual Literacy to Non-Designers Results Survey Question Pre-Course Scores Post-Course Scores %80.43%

Copyrights 2007, M.J. Zarzycka, The Importance of Teaching Visual Literacy to Non-Designers Results Q1: Did the GRTC 3353 make any impact on students use of typography? Yes Pre-course: 2.36 Post-course entries: 3.14 Q1: Did the GRTC 3353 make any impact on students use of typography? Yes Pre-course: 2.36 Post-course entries: 3.14

Copyrights 2007, M.J. Zarzycka, The Importance of Teaching Visual Literacy to Non-Designers Results Q2: Did the GRTC 3353 make any impact on students adherence to design principles? Yes Pre-course: 2.09 Post-course entries: 3.08 Q2: Did the GRTC 3353 make any impact on students adherence to design principles? Yes Pre-course: 2.09 Post-course entries: 3.08

Copyrights 2007, M.J. Zarzycka, The Importance of Teaching Visual Literacy to Non-Designers Results Q3: Did the GRTC 3353 make any impact on students use of color? Yes Pre-course: 2.21 Post-course entries: 2.92 Q3: Did the GRTC 3353 make any impact on students use of color? Yes Pre-course: 2.21 Post-course entries: 2.92

Copyrights 2007, M.J. Zarzycka, The Importance of Teaching Visual Literacy to Non-Designers Results Q4: Did the GRTC 3353 make any impact on the effectiveness of students work at the end of the semester as compared to similar project completed before taking the course? Yes Pre-course: 34.78% Post-course entries: 80.43% Q4: Did the GRTC 3353 make any impact on the effectiveness of students work at the end of the semester as compared to similar project completed before taking the course? Yes Pre-course: 34.78% Post-course entries: 80.43%

Copyrights 2007, M.J. Zarzycka, The Importance of Teaching Visual Literacy to Non-Designers Conclusion GRTC 3353 had an impact on students ability to produce more effective work Over 80% post-course projects were judged effective Only 35% pre-course projects were judged effective GRTC 3353 had an impact on students ability to produce more effective work Over 80% post-course projects were judged effective Only 35% pre-course projects were judged effective

Copyrights 2007, M.J. Zarzycka, The Importance of Teaching Visual Literacy to Non-Designers Recommendations A larger sample The participants could be compared to a control group of individuals who have not taken a visual communication course at all Administer a similar study to both online and face-to-face sections of the same course and compare the results Administer a similar study to students who are enrolled in the same course but have different lab instructors A larger sample The participants could be compared to a control group of individuals who have not taken a visual communication course at all Administer a similar study to both online and face-to-face sections of the same course and compare the results Administer a similar study to students who are enrolled in the same course but have different lab instructors

Copyrights 2007, M.J. Zarzycka, The Importance of Teaching Visual Literacy to Non-Designers The End GRTC website: Q & A GRTC website: Q & A