REFLECTION

FinalReflection
LaRia Walker
University of West Georgia

Visual and Media Literacy for Teaching and Learning MEDT 7490
July 29, 2016

REFLECTION

Final Reflection
When I first registered for the class Visual and Media Literacy I thought that it would be
a theory research-based course. This course was the very opposite of what I expected. I have
learned about dual coding, software programs to engage students, how to make digital artifacts
for teaching and learning, and how to use critical thinking skills to code and decode images.
Dual coding was one of the most powerful things I learned. Dual coding takes place when
student are engaged in visuals and audio at the same time. Using visual images while teaching
increases student memorization of the content, while also keeping them engaged. This is because
our sense of sight is the most powerful sense that interacts with the brain which speeds learning
up to 60,000 times faster than text or lecturing (Frey and Fisher, 2008). Using visuals and audio
combined creates a powerful teaching tool: however, using visuals audio and text do not. I
originally thought that this appealed to students by hitting several learning preferences at one
time, but three times was not the charm in this case. Including words overstimulates the brain
making it hard for students to process and remember what they have been taught.
Throughout this course, I learned about and used several software programs. The
incorporation of these programs in this class was designed to engage students before, during, and
after instruction has taken place. A few programs that I used or researched for use in my own
classroom throughout this course are PowToon, Weebly, Piktochart, Toondoo, and
storyboardthat. PowToon was a tool that I came across and explored to use this upcoming school
year. PowToon can be used to create presentations and videos. Speech, music, animated
characters, text, backgrounds, and images can all be used to make these interesting and fun
presentations.

REFLECTION

An intriguing program that I used was a website maker entitled Weebly. I used this
website to create an online website to house all of my class assignments. I learned a lot about this
website through exploration. Exploration is something that teachers do not let students do much
of in the classroom. By exploring and creating meaning on their own, students are able to
improve their critical thinking tactics.
Another tool I used was Piktochart. Piktochart uses text, and images to create posters and
fact presentation panels. The artifacts created using Piktochart can be as simple as an
introduction to a book or course, or used to display information as abstract as charts, graphs, and
statistics. In this course, I used Piktochart to create an infographic about story elements. This
infographic could be used as an anchor chart to introduce and teach the elements of character,
setting, and plot. I used text, images, and elements and principles of design to create a balanced
and visually pleasing artifact.
Toodoo and Storyboardthat are two software programs that I believe even my students
will love using. I enjoyed creating class assignments using them that I can actually use in my
classroom. During week 3 I created a comic strip that could be used to introduce or teach a
Social Studies standard. The standard I chose was landforms. My students usually lose interest in
this standard because it is sometimes hard for them to identify with it. I utilized the ARCS model
of design to plan and produce this comic. As stated from one of my previous assignment posts, I
used the ARCS design model to create my comic. This model focuses on attention, relevance,
confidence, and satisfaction. When planning the comic to coincide with my lesson I knew that it
would have to catch the attention of my students while also being relevant for them to create
meaning and understand the material that is being taught. All of my students have read
Goldilocks and the three bears and would, therefore, understand the characters viewpoint of

REFLECTION

trying to find her favorite landform. Students will feel confident and satisfied that they will
understand the landform unit by using the comic strip as schema to pull from once the unit
begins. (Walker, 2016).
The tools and assignments that I discussed all related directly to the course objectives.
The first two objectives focus on developing awareness and competency in technological tools
and software for use in instructional settings. The third objective focused on being able to design
and produce original artifacts using digital materials and resources. The fourth objective select
and utilize, was demonstrated when I showed knowledge in knowing how to use the tools above
correctly to fit the needs of my students. The last objectives discuss and model aimed to teach a
safe and ethical way to use and share digital tools and while citing resources.
Resources (DAlba ,2016).
Everything that I have learned can and will be used in my classroom to improve my
instructional approach. Learning the theories behind why students need to be visually and media
literate will be insightful while continuing to produce artifacts for instructional purposes. Dual
coding is the only issue I found while taking this course. Not only educators, but many
individuals create presentations that appeal to too many senses at once. Using images and speech
is a great way for students to create meaning behind certain images which will later transfer into
textual schema. After venturing through this course I find myself thinking of ways to bridge the
gap between technology and the standard curriculum that is focused on during the school year.
I thoroughly enjoyed this course. The most challenging aspect was time management.
Having multiple assignments due in one week at times was challenging; however, I managed my
times and completed the assignments with ease. The tasks were fun and engaging while teaching
skills that I will be able to refer to constantly. As I have stated many times before, the most

REFLECTION

exciting part about this course is being able to keep the artifacts that I have made and use them as
soon as I need to for instructional purposes. It is difficult to give suggestions for improvement
when you participate in a course that was already well planned out; however, I would suggest
letting students know that the best way to complete the course would be to focus on the grade
that they teach while completing assignments so that they will be able to use them in the near
future just as I did. In the 21st century staying knowledgeable about visual and media uses and
literacy is a necessity for all school stakeholders.

References
DAlba, A. (2016). MEDT 7490 Visual and media literacy for teaching and learning [class
syllabus]. Department of Educational Technologies and Foundations , University of West
Georgia, Carrollton, GA.
Frey, N., & Fisher, D. (2008). Teaching visual literacy: Using comic books, graphic novels,
anime, cartoons, and more to develop comprehension and thinking skills. Thousand

REFLECTION

Oaks, CA: Corwin Press

Walker, L. (2016). Goldilocks and the landforms. Retrieved from
http://lariateacher4.weebly.com/store/c1/Featured_Products.html

LaRia Walker

lwalke15@my.westga.edu

July 29, 2016