ACRL Visual Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education

To read the article, click here: 
http://www.ala.org/acrl/sites/ala.org.acrl/files/content/standards/visualliteracy.pdf

Gadget Anatomy

I believe that one of my strength is the ability to evaluate the aesthetic and technical characteristics of images. This is because I’m a painter and production designer. I have worked on several painting, illustrated a book and have done several designs for TV commercials, fashion shows, stage plays and product launches. In design school I learned how to combine aesthetic appeal with functional quality and communicate visual ideas. In art school I learned fundamental processes of visual perception and artistic expression. For both jobs, I had the opportunity to make judgments and decisions to make visual representations of thoughts and ideas. Through the years I’ve developed the critical eye to consider as strength in order to engage capably in a visually oriented society. I believe I am visually literate in a way that I can evaluate the aesthetic and technical characteristics of images and effectively fulfill the learning outcomes as stated in Standard Four of ACRL Visual Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education. 

On the other hand, I would consider my weakness as not taking the time to look into the ethical, legal, social and economic issues surrounding images and visual media as stated in Standard Seven. Because visual aids are readily available online, it is very easy to take for granted copyright issues. It is very important to emphasize the importance of this matter to students while in the process of collecting visuals to include and support a project or presentation. It would highly beneficial to young students to help build a culture of respect for intellectual properties thus protecting their own in the future.

To integrate visual literacy to my curriculum I would partner with the digital literacy coaches and the librarian to see to it that students are provided the necessary to tools to critically choose materials online and to derive meaning and function to what they see. The digital coaches are capable to provide the necessary skills for students to function effectively in the digital world.