Visual literacy and the use of the internet can have a tremendous impact on student learning and construction of knowledge. These strategies and tools can benefit the contemporary student by making learning accessible, relevant, and illuminating new ideas and processes. It is vital that students be both visually literate and technologically competent.

As technology becomes more prevailing students are expected to cultivate applicable marketable skills. Thus, the internet becomes a genuine instrument to develop multidisciplinary skills. The possibilities are so extensive. Teachers can integrate visuals, media, games, research, networking and numerous other devices to amplify the learning experience. The internet accommodates a myriad of learning styles, as well as developing a classroom environment that employs authentic learning methodology. Students have access to any content imaginable.

            “As we shift from an educational system which promotes teaching to one that supports learning, additional methods of accessing education will be required (Shimic, 2008). The Internet is a fast, efficient, and readily available modality for promoting technology based learning thus increasing educational access. The learning process is changing in all organizations. Collaboration, intercultural communication, accessibility and relevancy are all concepts promoted in organizations, including higher education institutions. There is push to increase the efficiency of learning and the transfer and facilitation of knowledge. Technology enhanced learning environments improve the learning experience by promoting cooperation, collaboration and self-sufficiency in learners.” (Tucker & Courts, 2010, pg. 38)

In my personal classroom I want the internet to play a significant role in delivering information to my students. I envision an atmosphere where students conduct independent studies online, connect with students located in diverse geographical regions using Skype, upload podcasts for listening to with iTunes, create annotated bibliographies with http://www.delicious.com, watch animations on http://www.brainpop.com, and play games on http://www.funbrain.com.  I am committed to staying current and aware of fresh new technologies in order to make the most positive impact on my students.

Visual literacy can be taught in conjunction with technology and internet to make considerable advances in the students’ overall literacy and competency. Both input and output strategies are vital in education. I believe that they are equally as important as each other and should both be included in regular instruction because one helps the student decode and the other aids them in encoding. Some strategies that can improve visual literacy and I would personally implement in my own classroom are:

Discussing images

Critiquing images

Thinking critically about images

Creating images

Selecting images for presentation

Sequencing

In conclusion I would like to leave you with a quote that I feel summarizes the main purpose of remaining abreast of technological advances for classroom usage. “The idea of integrating technology into the classroom is not a new concept. As new technologies emerge, educators are often eager to find methods of assimilating these technologies in their classrooms. These same educators often find it difficult to connect new technologies to the traditional view of classroom learning that concentrates on a fixed curriculum which focuses on learning through repetition and memorization. In order for the integration of technology into the classroom to be successful, teaching must be viewed as a way of facilitating learning, and view learning as series of processes which lead us to adapt behavior in a quest to acquire new knowledge. Using the Internet as a transferring mechanism to deliver multimedia rich content from the facilitator to the learner is one method of designing a dynamic classroom experience.” (Tucker & Courts, 2010, pg. 41-42)

Tucker, J., & Courts, B. (2010). Utilizing The Internet To Facilitate Classroom Learning. Journal Of College Teaching & Learning, 7(7), 36-43.