Visual Literacy - Essay Example

?Ch Work I already answered the focus questions for chapter Focus questions for Ch page 4 What is visual Literacy? Visual Literacy is defined as the ability to understand, use, and create with images effectively. 2) Why is visual Literacy important? Visual literacy is important as some information has to be presented in an effective manner for a well defined, intended audience. 3) What is an educational context and how is it different from a performance context? An educational design is similar to instructional design of creating materials’ for learning and long term memory. It is intended to have a lingering effect on the intended students. A performance design aids a person to perform a task or job effectively and immediately. 4) What is the difference between an instructional image and a performance image? Performance images are used to show how to properly complete a task. Instructional images are used to teach a relevant topic to students’ of multifarious disciplines. 5) Do you have to know anything different when you design a performance image versus an educational image? Performance visuals help people on the spot and should be designed accordingly. They do not stress the end-user and place the least strain on mental resources. Maps, recipes and labels are examples. Educational visuals are supposed to teach information that can be recalled at a later time and have a lingering effect on long- term memory. 6) Is a printed word considered a visual? Yes, when a word clarifies an image or is designed artistically to depict its own meaning. 7) Why does the design of educational and performance images involve both art and science? The art of design is the ability to create images that are visually appealing and interesting to look at. They catch the eye and hold attention of the beholder immediately. The science component is the ability to put images together so they make sense and flow. Web activity page 24 Use a browser to locate examples of universal design that address performance issues in an instructional context. For example, try search terms such as universal design instruction. Locate an example of universal design that relates to visual literacy. An example of design solution is shown on page 25. Universal Design Addressing a Performance Issue (Picture Courtesy: http://www.appliancedesign.com/AM/Home/Images/cont_figure1_large.jpg) Justification On searching for a visual example for a universal design related to instruction, I came across the above picture that explains in layman terms what single and twin rotary compressors used in air-conditioning or refrigeration actually are. When a salesperson sells such a unit to a buyer who knows nothing about the engineering of refrigerators, terms such as rotary compressor are difficult to comprehend. Although in the above picture there is a spelling error in which ‘single’ is miss-spelt as ‘signal’, the visual depiction is simple enough and conveys to the beholder what twin and single rotary compressors actually are, and how they function. I was able to identify the spelling mistake from the graphic representation itself. Challenge Activity page 25 This chapter discusses the different between performance support visuals and educational visuals. Skim through the book and the Companion Website for this book at http://www.coe.unco.edu/LindaLohr to locate three examples of performance support visuals and three examples of educational visuals. Briefly describe why each image falls into your assigned category. The three performance support visuals described in this chapter include the hamburger machine, how to connect the computer in a classroom setting and informative visual on parking locations. All these visuals are graphic depiction of the actions needed to accomplish a particular activity. The burger machine allows a buyer to select the burger by size, the visual to connect the computer using the right sequence of steps also enhances performance and the parking instructions’ visual directs the driver to the correct location. Three examples of educational visuals include the depiction of dots corresponding to numbers within the number itself, the focal area responsible for the spread of cholera in a particular district and the words shaped in order to depict their meaning. For the intended audience all three visuals provide education in a particular facet. A child will be able to count and associate the numbers in the graphical presentation with the numbers having as many dots as the number itself. The cholera spread graphic educates the beholder about the focal area from which the disease is spreading and the word shapes convey their meaning visually. Ch. 2 Work Briefly answer questions on page 29: Why are skills in visual literacy difficult to come by? Skills in visual literacy are difficult to come by because of the inherent fear in an otherwise knowledgeable and cultivated persons who believe that visual expression is a domain which can be harnessed only by professional artists’ and designers’. An average person is armed just with the basic artistic skills, and is unable to express visually through graphic art what he or she can with words. Moreover, it is difficult for an average person to combine ‘words and graphics’ for the depiction of a message for an intended audience. An otherwise well informed and educated person may come up with difficult to comprehend visual expressions which do not emphasize the crux of the intended message. The whole purpose of the message may be missed resulting in incomplete or erroneous comprehension by the intended audience or end-user. The common belief that anything depicted through visual art is ‘easy’ also confounds the problem through this misconception as does the fear of inadequacy in handling modern tools of visual expression. How does the book help you overcome the plethora of advice out there? Visual comprehension is inherent in all of us as we can easily identify the intended message of a well prepared visual depiction of any facet of life. It may have an instructional purpose or facilitate performance in a particular day-to-day situation. The composition of a visual message is of prime importance and can be simplified by an expert visual artist to achieve its end result. A visual depiction does not necessarily have to a great piece of art. Instead it should be able to convey its purpose in the most effective manner. This book allows us to identify what is the correct method of expression through visual art. The book is interspersed with examples of a bad and a corrected visual, the correctness of which is apparent from a mere glance, as well as from the explanatory notes provided by the author. Association of visual literacy with education and performance has been comprehensively explained by the author. The author has simplified the comprehension of visual art by asking the reader to focus upon efficiency as well as appeal as the two main focus areas. Selection, organization and integration have been described by the author the three primary learner driven principles for an efficient and effective designing process. Careful selection of the elements for an intended visual presentation, organizing the selection in a wholesome unit and integration into an apparently simplified visual art are the hallmarks of an effective presentation. What is edu-junk and why should you avoid it? Edu-junk is the tendency to overuse and depend more on the inbuilt capabilities of modern visual design software. Capitalization, more centering of the text, using elaborate borders and clip art are all components’ of educational junk. Edu-junc should be avoided as it over decorates and takes away the focus from the actual idea that a visual expression has to convey. Simple use of pertinent pictures and proper text messages in a simplified background exert maximum impact on the intended audience. Web Activity on pages 39 & 40: The web activity is likely to be the easiest project and best for beginners. The assignment posted here asks you to make simple instructions for hot chocolate. Example of student work that are “good” and “needs improvement” are shown here. More examples are found on the Companion Website for this book at http://www.coe.unco.edu/LindaLohr. + 3 Justification The above visual can aptly explain a non English speaking beholder how to prepare a hot cup of cocoa. Although the composition is not good due to limitations of the format used here, the pictures convey the meaning. Challenge Activity page 41: The challenge Activity asks you to be a little more brave. One of these activities asks you to create visual instructions to help students learn the days of the month. Use your knuckles activity on page 42 shows a “good” and a “needs improvement” sample of student work. 31 January March May July August October December 28/29L February 30 April June September November Justification: The above tabular depiction separates the months visually employing colors. Months with 31 days are depicted in green; February being exclusive is depicted in red with and L showing the number of days in a leap year. Blue color is used for months with 30 days. Improvements can be made by using some graphics for each section. The green months can be shown growing on a green tree. The blue months can be shown in a blue lake and February can be depicted in the form of a red setting sun in the combined visual. References Creating Graphics for Learning and Performance, Chapters 1-2, Retrieved January 16, 2012 from: http://www.lindallohr.com/CGL/lohrweb/index.html Wu, C. (2007). Motors: Controlling Cooling, Retrieved January 17, 2012 from: http://www.appliancedesign.com/Articles/Electronics/BNP_GUID_9-5-2006_A_10000000000000029895 Read More