.svg)
In today’s world, being truly literate extends beyond reading and writing traditional text. Visual and media literacies are critical components of 21st-century fluency, shaping how we interpret, create, and communicate ideas. I work with schools to develop teacher understanding of the essential role these literacies play in fostering deeper learning, critical thinking, and meaningful artistic expression.
Visual arts provide the foundation for developing visual communication fluency. Through drawing, painting, sculpture, photography, and design, students learn how to use visual elements—such as color, line, shape, and composition—to convey meaning. They practice making intentional design choices to communicate emotions, narratives, and abstract concepts effectively. For example, in a graphic design project, students may explore how typography and layout influence a viewer’s interpretation of a message. In a painting or illustration, they might study how color theory impacts mood and perception. By engaging in these artistic practices, students gain a deeper understanding of how visual information is structured and understood, equipping them with the skills to critically analyze and create images in a visually saturated world.
Media arts take this a step further by integrating technology, storytelling, and multimodal communication. Through film, animation, projection art, digital media, and interactive experiences, students develop the ability to both decode (analyze) and encode (create) media messages. A film student, for instance, learns how camera angles, editing choices, and sound design shape the audience’s perception of a story. In animation, students explore how movement and pacing influence engagement. Media literacy also includes the ability to critically assess media sources, understand biases, and recognize the persuasive power of visual narratives in news, advertising, and entertainment. By fostering media literacy, students become active participants in the digital landscape, capable of both interpreting and shaping the media-driven world around them.
Both visual and media literacies are rooted in the science of perception—how we see, interpret, and make sense of images, symbols, and media messages. By understanding the cognitive processes behind visual and media engagement, students and educators can become more intentional in both their consumption and production of media. This critical awareness helps build the skills needed to navigate an increasingly complex visual landscape, preparing students for a world where communication is multimodal, fast-paced, and deeply visual.
I empower educators and students to develop critical visual and media literacies by fostering both the decoding (analysis) and encoding (creation) of visual and media arts, ensuring fluency in 21st-century communication.
When working with schools, I help educators and students develop deep visual and media literacy skills that extend beyond surface-level engagement. Teachers gain the ability to guide students in both decoding—analyzing and interpreting visual and media messages—and encoding—creating meaningful, intentional visual and media compositions. This results in students who are not only critical consumers of media but also skilled creators, capable of expressing complex ideas through multimodal communication. Schools see a shift in how students engage with visual and media content, demonstrating stronger analytical thinking, creative problem-solving, and a deeper understanding of how images, design, and media influence perception and meaning in the world around them.
Schools develop a deep integration of visual and media literacy, equipping students with the critical skills to interpret, create, and communicate effectively in a visually and digitally driven world.Schools develop a deep integration of visual and media literacy, equipping students with the critical skills to interpret, create, and communicate effectively in a visually and digitally driven world.
Schools develop a deep integration of visual and media literacy, equipping students with the critical skills to interpret, create, and communicate effectively in a visually and digitally driven world.
