Visual Literacy Standards Task Force Open Meeting

1. Visual Literacy Standards Task Force Open Meeting ACRL Image Resources Interest Group ALA Annual 2010, Washington, DC

2. Agenda • Introductions • Standards development process • Discussion • Introduction to topic • Small group discussion • Report out • Conclusion

3. Standards Development Process • Process established by ACRL Information Literacy Standards Committee • Tip Sheet 4: Developing Subject-Specific Information Literacy Standards (http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/acrl/resources/tipsheets/tip4substandards.cfm) • Timeline: • July 2010 – VL definition finalized • August 2010 – standards outline • September-October 2010 – draft standards written • Fall/Winter 2010-2011 – testing and implementation

4. Discussion Topic Define visual literacy • Interdisciplinary context • Higher education environment • Information literacy – based

5. ACRL Information Literacy Standards Information literacy is a set of abilities requiring individuals to “recognize when information is needed and have the ability to locate, evaluate, and use effectively the needed information.” The information literate student…. Standard One: determines the nature and extent of the information needed Standard Two: accesses needed information effectively and efficiently Standard Three: evaluates information and its sources critically and incorporates selected information into his or her knowledge base and value system Standard Four: uses information effectively to accomplish a specific purpose Standard Five: understands many of the economic, legal, and social issues surrounding the use of information and uses information ethically and legally Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education. Association of College & Research Libraries, 2000; http://www.acrl.org/ala/mgrps/divs/acrl/standards/standards.pdf.

6. Definitions of Visual Literacy • “Visual literacy is the ability to interpret, use, appreciate, and create image and video using both conventional and 21st century media in ways that advance thinking, decision making, communication, and learning.” enGauge 21st Century Skills: Literacy in the Digital Age. (2003). NCREL and Metiri Group. Available at http://pict.sdsu.edu/engauge21st.pdf • "If literacy is reading and writing, then what is visual literacy/fluency? One definition is the ability to understand and produce visual messages. A second definition is a group of competencies that an individual can develop by seeing and at the same time having and integrating other sensory experiences. A third definition is the ability to interpret messages as well as generate images for communicating ideas and concepts.”Bleed, R. (2005). Visual Literacy in Higher Education. ELI Exploration. Educause Learning Initiative. Available at http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ELI4001.pdf • "Instead, visual literacy involves the ability to understand, produce, and use culturally significant images, objects, and visible actions.“Felten, P. (2008, November/December). Visual literacy. Change: The Magazine of Higher Learning, 60-64. Available at http://www.jcu.edu/education/dshutkin/readings/Felten,P.%282008%29.Visual%20Literacy.pdf

7. Conclusions • Next steps – finalized definition of visual literacy in July, draft outline Aug, draft standards Sept-Oct, testing and implementation Fall-Winter • Virtual meeting for ALA Midwinter • Program at ALA 2011 to introduce standards • Please comment often on VL Standards blog, subscribe to feed to stay informed: http://acrlvislitstandards.wordpress.com Thank you! Denise Hattwig, Chair, dhattwig@u.washington.edu