Explores students' understanding of the visual aspects of their own multimedia presentations. Suggests that students need access to a metalanguage in order both to explain their own visual designs and to develop more sophisticated and critical understandings about how visual texts are constructed. Contends that teachers require an understanding of…

Notes that the curriculum in Canada includes viewing and visually representing, joining the traditional skills of reading and writing, listening and speaking. Concludes that viewing and representing can help students learn to read and write but they are also unique literacies unto themselves. Lists 10 sources of information in both electronic and…

Considers that in order to be successful offering visual art lessons in the classroom, pre- and inservice teachers must develop a deeper more conceptual understanding of the power of art to communicate meanings, beliefs, ideologies, and experiences. Suggests teacher enroll in a high-quality arts course, create some authentic works of art, use…

Argues that it is far too premature for composition theorists to extol the benefits of television to composition teachers. Cites flaws and limitations of previous research, describes some of the consequences of television-based instruction, and suggests some further research in the interrelationship of television and print literacy. (RS)

Explores a language model based on the various forms of messages exhibited in both visual and verbal communication. Argues that although several differences in levels of meaning exist between verbal and visual message format, combining features from each message mode strengthens the comprehensibility of communication. (RS)

An increasingly visual culture is affecting work and training. Achievement of visual literacy means acquiring competence in critical analysis of visual images and in communicating through visual media. (SK)

Summarizes purpose, membership, services, publications, conferences, and activities of the Association for the Development of Computer-Based Instructional Systems; Association for Educational Communications and Technology; Association for Media and Technology in Education in Canada; International Society for Technology in Education; International…

Visual learning, the capacity to construe meaning from visual images and to create meaningful visual forms, distills complex information and presents information directly. It plays an important role in development of the ability to abstract and decode. (SK)

Outlines the history of information visualization, the present state of the art, and the possibilities and challenges that lie ahead. Describes how the articles in this special issue (devoted to visualizing information) help explain the principles and practices of information visualization. Challenges technical communicators to expand their view…

Describes two hours in the life of an eight-year-old to demonstrate that children acquire information and develop language skills from multiple sources. Argues that the conceptualization of literacy must be broadened from reading and writing skills to a definition that recognizes the layering of information and that includes all forms of the…

Notes that basing composition almost exclusively on verbal instruction counters the very nature of literacy education, because the current verbal-based education system produces illiterates in this highly visual and multimodal modern society. Demonstrates composition's verbal bias; argues that this bias is both politically and rhetorically…

Presents annotations of 29 children's books that provide multiple perspectives that range from the viewpoint of the character to stories from a culture, information garnered from extensive research, insights from history, and interpretations of art. (RS)

Describes a course set up for Year 11 students using digital editing equipment to examine the audiovisual fabric of films of their choice. Investigates how the advent of digital technologies enables new kinds of reading of visual texts as well as new kinds of textual production. (NH)

Finds the current emphasis on technical accuracy and neatness in handwriting limits the role of drawing in children's construction of text. Suggests this has adverse consequences for development of pupil confidence, particularly in boys. Argues that teachers need to be more understanding of differences in the modes in which pupils choose to make…

This column is the first in a series exploring "new" expanded conceptions of literacy education. Examples of these new expanded conceptions include visual literacy, critical literacy, hypertext, media literacy, multimedia, drama, music and other less "traditional" forms of print and nonprint text. It is through discussions of these multiple…