Quote: "Visual literacy is a learned “reading” of images. Semiotics is the study of how the reading of signs and symbols together communicate complicated ideas in the form of codes (Lester, 2000). Just as basic textual literacy uses vocabulary, metaphors,and genres, visual literacy employs colors, icons, and various media to communicate ideas and feelings to
readers. Grounded in the senses and surrounded by a context, both basic and visual literacy rely on active construction
of meaning through a process of interpreting codes and signs."
Reaction: I think what struck me most about this quote at first is the fact that it states that the ideas and concepts presented visually form complicated messages. It is easy to look a t a magazine cover or a news article with a picture and think that you know and understand what you just saw, but in reality, it all forms a very complicated idea that takes time and effort to fully comprehend. It is important that teachers realize this because it is difficult for students to understand these messages even if they know how to decode them and research them. The message is not clearly stated in words and therefore there is a lot of room for interpretation, especially because media sources know how to edit photos and stories to make the reader think certain things. I never though of visual literacy in this way. It is very important to recognize colors, symbols, signs etc.. as the vocabulary and context clues of visual media. Just as a student can not be expected to understand a story if he or she does not know the vocabulary, a student can not be expected to draw insightful and meaningful conclusions from visual media if he or she does not know what all of the different elements mean separately and what they mean when used all together. In teaching visual literacy, teachers need to start with the basics (what certain colors mean, or why certain symbols are placed in certain ways) in order for students to build on those skills and eventually be able to decode and interpret the visual messages that they see every day.
Resource: Abilock, D. (2003, Nov. - Dec.). A Seven-Power Lens on Multimedia Literacy. Multimedia Schools, 1, 31-35.
Related Resource: http://www.medialit.org/ This is an entire website and group dedicated to media literacy
Really great response! I liked the way you related using context clues to better understand visual media to the necessity of the knowledge of the vocabulary in order to comprehend the story. Very good point!
ReplyDeleteYou make a very good point with your response. When you look at a picture there are many interpretations of that picture. Just because you see one message in it doesn't mean other see that same message.
ReplyDeleteI like that you mentioned the fact that it is not always easy to interpret the message of an image. I think this is a very important fact that teachers should understand. Interesting response!
ReplyDeleteContext clues was a great idea. That is so true! Using context clues to make up your own mind about what an image is or about rather than just believing what media tells us to believe is a good way to understand the photo. Great job!
ReplyDeleteI agree with you!! I dislike when magazines put a picture up and let the interpretation not be explained. That's the way a lot of bad ending rumors get started. I also loved your idea about context clues! Great post!
ReplyDeleteOutstanding reflection! Starting with the basic literacy skills and building and fostering these skills should be part of any curriculum.
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