Presented by Ellen Petraits at the Annual Conference of the Visual Resources Association, April 3rd - April 6th, 2013, in Providence, Rhode Island. Session #13: Pedagogical Studies in Visual Literacy ORGANIZER/MODERATOR: Mark Pompelia, Rhode Island School of Design PRESENTERS: Diana Carns, University of Massachusetss Dartmouth "Constructing Meaning: Integrating Text, Images, and Critical Questioning" Ellen Petraits, Rhode Island School of Design "Visual Literacy for Visual Learners: Relating Research Skills to Haptic Skills" Kelly Smith, Lafayette College "Image Seeking and Use by Graduate History Students: Avenues to Incorporating Visual Literacy" Sarah Vornholt, University of Hawai'i at Manoa "Visualizing the Article: An Exploratory Study of Undergraduates' Educational Reactions to Images in Scholarly Articles" Following the popular Visual Literacy Case Studies session that premiered at the 2012 annual conference, this session follows that same purpose while expanding the definition of what it can mean while meeting in Providence, Rhode Island—the Creative Capital, a city that serves as a factory for and of non-traditional learners. As background: A term first coined in 1969, visual literacy, according to the Association of College and Research Libraries “Visual Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education,” “is a set of abilities that enables an individual to effectively find, interpret, evaluate, use, and create images and visual media. Visual literacy skills equip a learner to understand and analyze the contextual, cultural, ethical, aesthetic, intellectual, and technical components involved in the production and use of visual materials. A visually literate individual is both a critical consumer of visual media and a competent contributor to a body of shared knowledge and culture.”

1. Visual Literacy for Visual Learners:
Teaching Art Students Research Skills
Ellen Petraits, Research & Instruction Librarian
Fleet Library, Rhode Island School of Design
Visual Resources Association Annual Conference
April 5, 2013

2. Standard Six
The visually literate student designs and creates meaningful images and visual media.
1. The VL student produces visual materials for a range of projects & scholarly uses.
Learning Outcomes:
a. Creates images and visual media to represent & communicate concepts,
narratives, & arguments (e.g., concept maps, presentations, storyboards, posters)

3. Why teach concept mapping to art
students in a library setting?
• to develop the topical investigation phase of the research process
• to introduce a graphic technique for developing a research topic
• to create visible evidence of a research topic’s development
• to offer a new learning experience for 2nd semester freshmen in
a required library instruction session

4. Why teach concept mapping to art
students in a library setting?
• to integrate visual learning into library instruction
• to have a visible basis for classroom discussion about developing
questions and themes within a broad topic
• to help art students see similarities between the research process
and the creative process

5. About the assignment
• Two components:
* out-of-class group research assignment to be completed within one week
* 90-minute class devoted to group presentations and discussion of the
research process
• librarians work with each instructor to select relevant topics and customize the
assignment

6. About the assignment
• librarians introduce the assignment & show examples of concept maps
• the library provides the 3’ x 3’ sheets of newsprint, markers, + group study
spaces to meet
• students consult a range of sources while information-gathering for maps

8. Origins of concept mapping
• early 1970s, Joseph D. Novak, Cornell University professor
• Novak’s research focused on how young children learn science
• method developed to record a child’s vocabulary to determine
understanding of a science concept, before & after a science lesson
• Constructivist theory of learning - we create meaning from experience
• learning involves the integration of emotion, thought, and action

9. What is concept mapping?
• a visual tool for generating and organizing ideas
• a nonlinear approach to note-taking
• a way to investigate and record aspects of a multi-faceted topic
• a method which triggers quick word associations

10. Why use concept mapping?
• to aid thinking at the beginning of the research process
• to create a visual overview of a topic
• to develop questions on a topic
• to reveal patterns, themes, and associations between ideas
• to generate the search terms needed to do research

11. •begin with a large sheet of paper and some colored markers

12. Futurism
•write your topic in the middle of the page

20. ellen petraits

23. Designing the Mapping Tutorial
• follow the ADDIE instructional design model:
• Analysis --> Design --> Development --> Implementation --> Evaluation
• important to use drawing materials & make mapping a manual process
• use focus words (who, what, when….) to ensure thorough topic development
• define, describe, and demonstrate the mapping process

24. • Each tutorial begins with a series of questions
• The learning goals are the responses to the questions
• ARLIS/NA Information Competencies for Students in Design Disciplines
• ACRL Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education
• ACRL Visual Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education
Incorporating Literacy Standards in the Tutorials

25. • Revised existing Finding Images tutorial in response to participation in the Visual
Literacy Standards task force advisory group and the publication of the VLC
Standards
• VLC Standards = 7 standards, 24 performance indicators, 99 learning outcomes
• Used backward design (Design by Understanding) instructional design method
Identify desired result or behavior > evidence of learning > plan learning experience
• The tutorial begins with seven questions formulated from the VLC Standards
• Identified aspects of Standards 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, and 7
• Did not to include Standard 3 - beyond the scope of the assignment
The visually literate student interprets & analyzes the meanings of images & visual media.
Designing the Finding Images Tutorial

27. Implementing the Visual Literacy Standards
Standard One
The visually literate student determines the nature and extent of the visual
materials needed.
Performance indicators:
1. The visually literate student defines and articulates the need for an image.
2. The visually literate student identifies a variety of image sources, materials,
and types.
What kind and how many images do I need?
Do I need a specific image of a single work or am I looking for a group or
category of images?

28. Implementing the Visual Literacy Standards
Standard Two
The visually literate student finds and accesses needed images and visual
media effectively and efficiently.
Performance indicators:
1. The visually literate student selects the most appropriate sources and
retrieval systems for finding and accessing needed images and visual media.
2. The visually literate student conducts effective image searches.
3. The visually literate student acquires and organizes images and source
information.
What are the image resources available to me beyond the internet?
Who can I ask for help with image searches?

29. Implementing the Visual Literacy Standards
What are the image resources available to me beyond the internet?
Who can I ask for help with image searches?

30. Implementing the Visual Literacy Standards
Standard Four
The visually literate student evaluates images and their sources.
Performance indicators:
1. The visually literate student evaluates the effectiveness and reliability of images
as visual communications.
2. The visually literate student evaluates the aesthetic and technical characteristics
of images.
3. The visually literate student evaluates textual information accompanying
images.
4. The visually literate student makes judgments about the reliability and
accuracy of image sources.
What is the source of the image’s descriptive information?
How reliable is it?
How can I verify its accuracy?

31. Implementing the Visual Literacy Standards
Standard Five
The visually literate student uses images and visual media effectively.
Performance indicators:
1. The visually literate student uses images effectively for different purposes.
2. The visually literate student uses technology effectively to work with images.
3. The visually literate student uses problem solving, creativity, and
experimentation to incorporate images into scholarly projects.
4. The visually literate student communicates effectively with and about images.
How will the use I have in mind for the image affect the media and
format requirements of image and my search?

32. Implementing the Visual Literacy Standards
Standard Six
The visually literate student designs and creates meaningful images and visual
media.
Performance Indicators:
1. The visually literate student produces visual materials for a range of projects
and scholarly uses.
Learning Outcomes:
a. Creates images and visual media to represent and communicate concepts,
narratives, and arguments (e.g., concept maps, presentations, storyboards,
posters)
b. Constructs accurate and appropriate graphic representations of data and
information (e.g., charts, maps, graphs, models)
c. Produces images and visual media for a defined audience
d. Aligns visual content with the overall purpose of project
2. The visually literate student uses design strategies and creativity in image and
visual media production.
Learning Outcomes:
a. Plans visual style and design in relation to project goals
b. Uses aesthetic and design choices deliberately to enhance effective
communication and convey meaning

38. Implementing the Visual Literacy Standards
Standard Seven
The visually literate student understands many of the ethical, legal, social, and
economic issues surrounding the creation and use of images and visual
media, and accesses and uses visual materials ethically.
Performance indicators:
1. The visually literate student understands many of the ethical, legal, social,
and economic issues surrounding images and visual media.
2. The visually literate student follows ethical and legal best practices when
accessing, using, and creating images.
3. The visually literate student cites images and visual media in papers,
presentations, and projects.
Citing source imagery is giving the creator recognition for his/her work. What
are the elements and form of an image citation?

39. Implementing the Visual Literacy Standards
Citing source imagery is giving the creator recognition for his/her work. What
are the elements and form of an image citation?

40. Implementing the Visual Literacy Standards
Citing source imagery is giving the creator recognition for his/her work. What
are the elements and form of an image citation?

41. Concept Mapping Tutorial
library.risd.edu/pdfs/conceptmapping2010.pps
Art History 102 Research Process Assignment
risd.libguides.com/AH102
Image rights held by the author.
Ellen Petraits, epetrait@risd.edu