copyrights 2007, m.j. zarzycka, the importance of teaching visual literacy to non-designers the...

Copyrights 2007, M.J. Zarzycka, The Importance of Teaching Visual Literacy to Non-Designers

The Importance of Teaching Visual Literacy to Non-Designers

The Importance of Teaching Visual Literacy to Non-Designers

Monika Zarzycka2007 IGAEA Conference

Monika Zarzycka2007 IGAEA Conference


IntroductionIntroduction

Importance of Visual Literacy Required for business-oriented

professionals Presentations, corporate communications,

newsletters, business cards, websites Visual presentation of data: charts, graphs,

symbols

Importance of Visual Literacy Required for business-oriented

professionals Presentations, corporate communications,

newsletters, business cards, websites Visual presentation of data: charts, graphs,

symbols


IntroductionIntroduction

Problem Many people are visually illiterate Not enough education/training in visual

design Solution

Offer courses in visual communications The Information and Logistics Technology (ILT)

Department at the University of Houston (UH) offers a visual literacy course

GRTC 3353 - Visual Communications Systems

Problem Many people are visually illiterate Not enough education/training in visual

design Solution

Offer courses in visual communications The Information and Logistics Technology (ILT)

Department at the University of Houston (UH) offers a visual literacy course

GRTC 3353 - Visual Communications Systems


GRTC 3353GRTC 3353

GRTC 3353 is an introductory course that is required of all students in the UH ILT department

Students are introduced to: principles of graphic design typography and how to work with type scanning and digital photography color theory and use newsletter and newspaper design identity and advertising design

GRTC 3353 is an introductory course that is required of all students in the UH ILT department

Students are introduced to: principles of graphic design typography and how to work with type scanning and digital photography color theory and use newsletter and newspaper design identity and advertising design


GRTC 3353GRTC 3353

Students are also taught basic design concepts using Microsoft Word or Microsoft PowerPoint Not recommended as professional graphic design

applications but acceptable as in-office applications Why Microsoft Word?

Students learn design concepts without spending excessive class time learning new software programs that many of them would never use after the course

Students are also taught basic design concepts using Microsoft Word or Microsoft PowerPoint Not recommended as professional graphic design

applications but acceptable as in-office applications Why Microsoft Word?

Students learn design concepts without spending excessive class time learning new software programs that many of them would never use after the course


GRTC 3353GRTC 3353

The course is divided into weekly 2-hour lectures and 3-hour lab sessions

Lecture: weekly quizzes, homework Lab: Hands-on practice Assignments are designed to familiarize

students with design concepts introduced during lecture and to evaluate their ability to apply design concepts to their own work Simple invitations, letterhead, business card

The course is divided into weekly 2-hour lectures and 3-hour lab sessions

Lecture: weekly quizzes, homework Lab: Hands-on practice Assignments are designed to familiarize

students with design concepts introduced during lecture and to evaluate their ability to apply design concepts to their own work Simple invitations, letterhead, business card


The StudyThe Study

A study to assess the effectiveness of the GRTC 3353 course

Student projects were evaluated Projects designed at the beginning of the

semester (pre-course) Similar projects completed at the end of

the semester (post-course)

A study to assess the effectiveness of the GRTC 3353 course

Student projects were evaluated Projects designed at the beginning of the

semester (pre-course) Similar projects completed at the end of

the semester (post-course)


Research QuestionsResearch

Questions Major Research Questions

Did the GRTC 3353 course: make any impact on student’s use of

typography? make any impact on student’s adherence to

design principles? make any impact on student’s use of color? prepare students to create more effective visual

work at the end of the semester as compared to their skill-level at the beginning of the course?

Major Research Questions Did the GRTC 3353 course:

make any impact on student’s use of typography?

make any impact on student’s adherence to design principles?

make any impact on student’s use of color? prepare students to create more effective visual

work at the end of the semester as compared to their skill-level at the beginning of the course?


Assumptions & Limitations

Assumptions & Limitations

Assumptions The students had no previous experience in

graphic design The students put an equal amount of effort into

both projects that were evaluated Limitations

The number of students enrolled in the course No control group

Assumptions The students had no previous experience in

graphic design The students put an equal amount of effort into

both projects that were evaluated Limitations

The number of students enrolled in the course No control group


ParticipantsParticipants

Participants were 23 students: 1 student: graphic design or a related area,

but had no previous experience in design 16 students (70%): Technology Leadership

and Supervision 4 students (17%): Logistics Technology 2 students (8%): other fields unrelated to

graphic design

Participants were 23 students: 1 student: graphic design or a related area,

but had no previous experience in design 16 students (70%): Technology Leadership

and Supervision 4 students (17%): Logistics Technology 2 students (8%): other fields unrelated to

graphic design


Pre-course ProjectPre-course Project

A wedding invitation It was given at the beginning of Fall 2006 Students received the text for the invitation Students were asked to format the text and

turn it into an invitation No additional instructions were given

A wedding invitation It was given at the beginning of Fall 2006 Students received the text for the invitation Students were asked to format the text and

turn it into an invitation No additional instructions were given


Post-course Project

Post-course Project

Students from the pre-course were given the same file to create the wedding invitation in the end of the semester

They received exactly the same text and instructions

Students from the pre-course were given the same file to create the wedding invitation in the end of the semester

They received exactly the same text and instructions


JudgesJudges

Two art directors A print products manager A graphic designer All were chosen by the Fogarty Klein

Monroe (FKM) Agency, the largest advertising firm in Houston

Two art directors A print products manager A graphic designer All were chosen by the Fogarty Klein

Monroe (FKM) Agency, the largest advertising firm in Houston


The Judging Process

The Judging Process

A week before judging: The researcher took note of which project

belonged to which student The judges were not given that

information The researcher collected all pre-course

and post-course projects, shuffled them, and numbered them randomly

A week before judging: The researcher took note of which project

belonged to which student The judges were not given that

information The researcher collected all pre-course

and post-course projects, shuffled them, and numbered them randomly


The Evaluative Instrument

The Evaluative Instrument

The evaluation sheet: four qualitative items for each project A five-point Likert Scale to judge three

questions related to participant’s: 1. use of typography2. adherence to design principles3. use of color

1. The fourth item asked judges to mark either “Yes” or “No” if they considered the work to be an effective piece of visual communication

The evaluation sheet: four qualitative items for each project A five-point Likert Scale to judge three

questions related to participant’s: 1. use of typography2. adherence to design principles3. use of color

1. The fourth item asked judges to mark either “Yes” or “No” if they considered the work to be an effective piece of visual communication


Data AnalysisData Analysis

A comparison between responses (46) was conducted by examining individual answers, and

by placing each answer in either the “pre-course” or “post-course” cluster

Both the “pre-course” and “post-course” projects were gathered into two groups and analyzed

Each of the judge’s responses was separated by question and placed in either the “pre-course” or “post-course” cluster

A comparison between responses (46) was conducted by examining individual answers, and

by placing each answer in either the “pre-course” or “post-course” cluster

Both the “pre-course” and “post-course” projects were gathered into two groups and analyzed

Each of the judge’s responses was separated by question and placed in either the “pre-course” or “post-course” cluster


ResultsResults

Survey Questio

n

Pre-Course Scores

Post-Course Scores

1 2.36 3.14

2 2.09 3.08

3 2.21 2.92

4 34.78% 80.43%


ResultsResults

Q1: Did the GRTC 3353 make any impact on student’s use of typography?

Yes Pre-course: 2.36 Post-course entries: 3.14

Q1: Did the GRTC 3353 make any impact on student’s use of typography?



ResultsResults

Q2: Did the GRTC 3353 make any impact on student’s adherence to design principles?


Q2: Did the GRTC 3353 make any impact on student’s adherence to design principles?



ResultsResults Q3: Did the GRTC 3353 make any impact

on student’s use of color? Yes

Pre-course: 2.21 Post-course entries: 2.92

Q3: Did the GRTC 3353 make any impact on student’s use of color?



ResultsResults Q4: Did the GRTC 3353 make any impact

on the effectiveness of students’ work at the end of the semester as compared to similar project completed before taking the course?

Yes Pre-course: 34.78% Post-course entries: 80.43%

Q4: Did the GRTC 3353 make any impact on the effectiveness of students’ work at the end of the semester as compared to similar project completed before taking the course?

Yes Pre-course: 34.78% Post-course entries: 80.43%


ConclusionConclusion

GRTC 3353 had an impact on students’ ability to produce more effective work

Over 80% post-course projects were judged effective

Only 35% pre-course projects were judged effective

GRTC 3353 had an impact on students’ ability to produce more effective work

Over 80% post-course projects were judged effective

Only 35% pre-course projects were judged effective


Recommendations

Recommendations

A larger sample The participants could be compared to a control

group of individuals who have not taken a visual communication course at all

Administer a similar study to both online and face-to-face sections of the same course and compare the results

Administer a similar study to students who are enrolled in the same course but have different lab instructors

A larger sample The participants could be compared to a control

group of individuals who have not taken a visual communication course at all

Administer a similar study to both online and face-to-face sections of the same course and compare the results

Administer a similar study to students who are enrolled in the same course but have different lab instructors


The EndThe End

GRTC website:

www.graphics.tech.uh.edu Q & A

GRTC website:

www.graphics.tech.uh.edu Q & A

http://www.graphics.tech.uh.edu/

http://www.graphics.tech.uh.edu/

copyrights 2007, m.j. zarzycka, the importance of teaching visual literacy to non-designers the...

Documents

course students

visual literacy course

design principles

advertising design grtc

basic design concepts

advertising design slide

students adherence

nondesigners grtc