Two Sides of Visual Literacy

The underlying theme of this semester has been the increased need for visual literacy. However, the definitions of visual literacy have varied from location to location. This has also been an opportune time because I am getting a SMARTboard within a few weeks. I did find one article that gave me a definition that I liked. In the article, “Visual Literacy in teaching and Learning: A Literature Perspective”, Suzanne Stokes contends that in order to teach students visual literacy we need to not only teach decoding of visual messages, but also the encoding of visuals as well. Just as we do with written language, we not only teach how to decode (read), but we also teach how to encode (write). When dealing with visual literacy the teacher must be able to convey that a message can be created by analyzing the visual, that images must be derived. Not only do the students need to be able to figure out how to analyze pictures, but also be able to use the tools of visual rhetoric. With the increased use of digital media there is a call for more teaching visual literacy. The best way to do so is by teaching them not only to consume, but to create.

High School Kids and Tech Fads

Periodically throughout this semester I will update my students as to what I am doing in college. They are genuinely interested, especially when it comes to technology. They want to know what I am finding out about that they might not be aware of. Making a website was unthinkable to them. Apparently they are comfortable using, but not creating; although this may be because the process has been simplified with programs for more novice users. When it comes to Twitter the students had no clue what it was. So we took five minutes to define it and explain the good and bad aspects.
When my 10th grade speech class had an opportunity to choose the topic for the formal debate they chose, “What is too much on social networking sites?” The sides were completely divided between kids can handle the responsibility, to neutral, to needing more controls over the youth that use social networking. It is interesting to see how divided they can be. I will post next week as to how the debate turned out. Also an update from a prior blog, I now have all of my worksheets online and it has been quite successful for parents and students alike.

Pecha Kucha (Peh Cha Chka)

One of the first things that inevitably comes up when considering Pecha Kucha is how it is said (Peh Cha Chka). In the few weeks that I have know about it I have heard no less than 10 different pronunciations. This new delivery method was devised recently by Asrtid Klien and Mark Dytham as a tool to get architect designers to get to the point. In a pecha kucha presentation there are 20 slides at 20 seconds a piece for a 6 minute 40 second presentation. There should be little to no text and the pictures are meant to reinforce the speech. The slide presentation is meant to supplement the speech and not the other way around. This presentation form has been catching on in all circles. There are pecha kucha clubs all over the world, (181 of them) including one in Minneapolis. If you see my teachnology presentation, it is in pecha kucha format. Look at some of the links below, it is quite interesting.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pecha_Kucha
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGaCLWaZLI4&feature=channel_page
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NZOt6BkhUg&feature=channel_page
http://www.pecha-kucha.org/
http://www.pecha-kucha.org/cities/minneapolis-stpaul

Vulnerability of the fiber-optic networks

Recently there was a fairly under reported story about a series of cuts of fiber-optic network cables. Now after eight years of being on the receiving end of the fear game I do not wish to fear monger; however it seems that the ability to debilitate 50,000 land lines, cell phones, and internet customers could be made a little harder to do. If we are going to (cliché warning) put all of our eggs into one basket we should make sure that it is protected or set to be supported by a back up system. There has been recent cutting of lines in San Jose, and smaller ones near South Carolina, and near DC. It took quite a bit to get to the cables in San Jose. The person had to remove a large cover, drop down about 10 feet, and then cut the appropriate wires. As of now authorities are not certain whether it was an international terrorist, an outraged former employee or a domestic anticorporate saboteur. How can we safe guard our lives which have become dependent on the internet? Shouldn’t we protect that which we depend upon? I am not suggesting that we take quick, drastic action, but some measured actions are necessary. In the fiber-optic cut in San Jose cell phones, land lines, ATMs, and elective surgeries all came to a halt. This seems to be a weak point in our country.

www.twit.tv

Work harder!

As professionals we have access to computers not only at home, but at the workplace as well. Inevitably some personal business is taken care of on the school computers. People need to be careful though because administrative oversight of internet activity can be omnipotent. What one person sees as relevant another could see as profane. Some administrative bodies restrict certain social sites from their computers. Certain popular websites, such as Youtube and Facebook, have been scapegoated in recent years. According to a new Reuters article a University of Melbourne study has found that workers are more productive when they are allowed to use Twitter, Youtube and Facebook. It was found that employees needed breaks. Many employees are choosing to take their breaks at their desks. Apparently the more rested the mind, the more the productivity. Good news for at work surfers.

Material for this blog provided by: http://TWIT.tv

Google Earth Again

Over the last semester I have been touting the use of Google Earth as a tool to help visually layout the settings of literature. The use of Google Earth for current events can help the students understand the stories in ways that a verbal rundown could not cover. This has been a topic that I have been covering, but I have only seen it in action once. While browsing the internet recently I came across a news show which uses it. On the Rachel Maddow Show she used the program to track the latest pirate hostage situation off the coast of Somalia. It was great to see the detail of the shipping lane, boat locations, prior pirate attacks, and other graphics. Once again Google Earth displays itself as a practical visual tool which reinforces geographical knowledge.

Separation

Upon reading Wysocki’s article "The Sticky Embrace of Beauty: On Some Formal Problems in Teaching about the Visual Aspects of Texts” I found myself agreeing with Wysocki’s disagreement with the separation by Immanuel Kant of humans and nature. This separation may be indicative of one of the current issues facing academia. There has been tradition in separating subjects into their different departments and focusing on an isolated set of material. In the process of the separation, the study of overlap and interconnectedness becomes neglected. I know that in my class history, art, math, and science inevitably arise, they give the students a fuller understanding of the content. In order to understand some aspects it seems that you must understand how it interrelates, for instance how conventions of design and understandings of culture do in Wysocki’s article.

Call In the Expert- Wherever They May Be

The large and bulky ITV machines have become irrelevant and obsolete. Gone are the massive and expensive systems which require a whole room unto themselves. Now we have a world of experts one or two clicks away. With the advent of Skype and existing classroom technologies, what used to be complex and expensive, is now completely manageable and costs roughly $20. The ITV systems are on their way out; Skype is on its way in.
With the advent of digital technology everything is instantaneous and available on any regular computer. No longer do you need a video camera and a TV that accounts for viewing of both ways. No longer do you need an extra classroom with massive equipment. With a $20 webcam and the computer that is in every teacher’s classroom you can have instant access to any expert in the world. Tracking down and proposing offers to the experts is also as easy as a Google search. The experts do not need to hop in a car or even a plane to reach your classroom, so money is saved. Now the expert must have a webcam and knowledge of Skype, but with the money saved in transportation, the teacher could almost buy the guest a webcam and train them how to use the technology. Bringing an expert into a class shows students the benefits of education and backs up what the teacher addresses in class with a real-world expert.