New Literacies- Elizabeth Buckner

I chose to explore visual literacy for the New Literacies project by creating a virtual poster through Glogster. Before deeply researching this topic, I had assumed that visual literacy had more to do with the aesthetic appeal of the picture or graphic and what it looked like, rather than what it communicated. Through exploration of the new literacies project I now understand that visual literacy is the communication and comprehension of a message through the use of graphics, symbols, and pictures, and that the aesthetic qualities of these have matter little without some type of the understanding of why it is aesthetically pleasing.

Through this project, Chi Wan, Emily, and I, were able to explore visual literacy as well as it's usefulness in the classroom. We focused on how visual literacy is used in education, such as using sign language, PECs, picture supported reading, utilization of visual literacies in picture books, as well as tips for helping teachers understand how visual literacy can aid students in learning and understanding curriculum.

We defined visual literacy as comprehending, communicating, and creatively producing graphics, pictures, and symbols that communicate some type of meaning, and looked for examples of visual literacy in the classroom. We thought that Glogster would be a good way to explain the literacy because it is such a visual website, and visual literacy is all about visual graphic representation. We were able to add pictures, draw arrows from one idea to the other, use visual examples and more!


As you evaluate and respond to your peer’s project, address the following ideas,  but also feel free to comment on other aspects that you noticed:

• Was the project easy to navigate or understand? Why or why not?

Angela, Tessa, and Miranda's project was extremely easy to navigate. Because Book Builder is so linear, there is only one direction for readers to see text. Because there was so few words per page, readers are able to pay extra attention to each page of the book.

• To what extent was the project appealing, accessible, interesting? Did your colleagues provide ways for you to become involved with the content? How?

I think the project was appealing because of the technology that was used. Angela, Tessa, and Miranda provided a means of interactive manipulative with the ability to flip through the book.

• Did the choice and use of the options available with this technology (e.g., use of images, sound, video, options to comment) seem appropriate or effective? Why or why not?

The project included videos, visual diagrams, and examples. I think the use of these examples inserted into the book were very effective, and is apart of this technology that is so appealing to students. Because this project was a  virtual book, Angela, Tessa, and Miranda had the option of adding manipulatives that would not be possible with a conventional book.

• What did you learn about the targeted new literacy?

From Angela, Tessa, and Miranda's project I learned about the facets of emotional literacy and about many related texts that help teachers express this literacy in the classroom in a way that children can relate. Emotional literacy is not just recognizing emotions, but it is also gaining the ability to recognize and respond the emotions of others in an effective and healthy way.

• What did you learn about the targeted technology?

Because I have used UDL Book Builder before, I understood how to navigate the site, the accessibility of the book, and how to create and edit books. From this project, I saw the UDL Book Builder used for an informational text, which I really liked.

• What ideas did this project give you about literacy, technology, and/or teaching Language Arts

UDL Book Builder is an excellent tool not just for educators to learn about new literacies and technologies, but also can be utilized to help students understand technologies and literacies. Building a book about emotional literacy geared toward students rather than teachers, could be a tool that can be utilized in the classroom.