Searching for visual literacy: Secondary school students are creating infographics

Abstract

Visual literacy is an essential group of competencies for interpreting and generating visual messages within the scope of 21st century skills. More than interpreting visuals, 21st century learners should be equipped with knowledge and ability to generate complex visual messages, which is a harder skill to teach and achieve. In this study, creating infographics is handled as a learning strategy to teach secondary school students how to generate effective visual messages. Research was carried out with the collaboration of science and technology, visual arts, and information technology teachers within a design model research method perspective. The effectiveness of the model is investigated by pre and posttests, retention, and transfer tests. Through the findings on effectiveness of first implementation loop of the infographic design model, a co-constructed design model is proposed. According to the design model proposal, “content” and “visual design” generation was determined central components related to Information Technology, Visual Arts fields for creating infographic.