What does it mean to be visually literate or fluent? The definitions vary. For some it means the ability to create and interpret visual messages. For others it's a group of competencies developed around sensory experiences that enable the communication of ideas and concepts. John Seely Brown, cofounder of the Institute for Research on Learning, calls it "screen language for the new currency of learning."
Students Who Are Visually Literate:
Have a Working Knowledge of Visuals Produced
or Displayed through Electronic Media
• Understand basic elements of visual design,
technique, and media.
• Are aware of emotional, psychological, physiological,
and cognitive influences in perceptions of visuals.
• Comprehend representational, explanatory, abstract,
and symbolic images.
Apply Knowledge of Visuals in Electronic Media
• Are informed viewers, critics, and consumers of
visual information.
• Are knowledgeable designers, composers, and
producers of visual information.
• Are effective visual communicators.
• Are expressive, innovative visual thinkers and
successful problem solvers.
From enGauge 21st Century Skills: Literacy in the Digital Age
Image credit: ACRL Visual Literary Standards
(Source: stevegoslingphotography.co.uk)
Example for an image from the web
Fig 1. Allee im Park vor Schloss Kammer. Gustav Klimt. 1912. Digitales Belvedere [online]. Vienna: Austria. [cited 10 Jan. 2013]. Available from World Wide Web: (http://digital.belvedere.at/emuseum/).
Source: ArtSTOR Help>Citing
Links to free online citation guides.