Visual Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education · Visual Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education ... Use images and visual media effectively 6. Design and create

Visual Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education

Ann Medaille Denise Hattwig

University of Nevada, Reno University of Washington

ACRL Image Resources Interest Group Visual Literacy Standards Process

February 2010: ACRL Information Literacy Standards Committee supports project

March 2010: Task Force and Advisory Group formed

June 2010: VLTF open meeting at ALA Annual

February 2011: Draft of standards publicly released

Seven Areas of Focus

The Seven Standards 1. Determine the nature and extent of the visual materials

needed

2. Find and access needed images and visual media effectively and efficiently

3. Interpret and analyze the meaning of images and visual media

4. Critically evaluate images and their sources

5. Use images and visual media effectively

6. Design and create meaningful images and visual media

7. Understand many of the ethical, legal, social, and economic issues surrounding the creation and use of images and visual media, and access and use visual materials ethically

Visual Literacy: A Combination of Abilities

Require skills related to:

• Information literacy

• Visual communication

• Visual interpretation

• Technology and digital media use

Visual Literacy & Information Literacy

Information Literacy Standards

1. The information literate student determines the nature and extent of the information needed.

Visual Literacy Standards

1. The visually literate student determines the nature and extent of the visual materials needed.

Unique Nature of Visual Literacy Content

VL Standard 3: The visually literate student interprets and analyzes the meaning of images and visual media.

VL Standard 6: The visually literate student designs and creates meaningful images and visual media.

Learning Outcome-Based Process

What does a visually literate student need to know and be able to do ?

• Skills

• Actions

• Processes

Learning Outcomes → Performance Indicators → Standards

Learning Outcomes

3.2.e Investigates how the audience, context, and interpretation of an image may have changed over time

6.1.a Creates images to represent and communicate concepts, narratives, and arguments

7.1.d Cites images by selecting and consistently using an appropriate documentation style

Implementation How?

• Integrate into existing information literacy instruction

• Introduce into new areas of the curriculum

• Incorporate into assignment and project design

• Support robust image resources and research guides

• Online tools and assessments

• Interactions with students

What?

• Single Standards or individual Learning Outcomes

• Complete Standards document

Who?

• Collaborate

• Librarians, archivists, curators, visual resources professionals, educational technologists

• Faculty

Assessment

Student assessment • Specific observable learning outcomes

• Rubrics, self-assessments, range of instruments

• Iterative assessment, improved teaching and learning

Value of academic libraries • Libraries as partners in developing multiple literacies

in new areas

• Common language for discussing visual literacy

• Contribution to institutional assessment

ACRL/IRIG Visual Literacy Standards Task Force

Denise Hattwig, Chair University of Washington

Joanna Burgess Reed College

Kaila Bussert Cornell University

Ann Medaille University of Nevada, Reno

Project Blog: http://acrlvislitstandards.wordpress.com Standards Doc: http://acrlvislitstandards.files.wordpress.com/ 2011/02/acrlirig_vlstandards_draft_201102096.pdf

Images Used in This Presentation

Adelman, Bob. March on Washington D.C. 1963. Magnum Photos. ARTstor. Web. 13 Mar. 2011.

Roman, Giulio (Face attributed to Raphael). Portrait of Joan of Aragon, Vice-Queen of Naples. 1518. Musée du Louvre, Paris. ARTstor. Web. 13 Mar. 2011.

Schneider, Jason. “Winners Take All.” Illustration from “It’s the Inequality, Stupid.” Mother Jones March/April 2011. Web. 13 Mar. 2011.

Territory: US Expansion. 1783-1898. University of California, San Diego. ARTstor. Web. 13 Mar. 2011.