After reading Mrs Daisy's blog on images, I couldn't agree more with her about the importance of images in the classroom. I also have just completed a an assessment on visual literacy within the same group and can now see that visuals are all around us. Children see before they speak.
Reading through some other blogs that I'm following I noticed some people were using Picnik. After using this I found this was easier to use for editing and changing images. For example I changed the colour of this image and asked
a child I knew how this picture made her feel.
a child I knew how this picture made her feel.The child responded with the following:
-Warm sunny morning
-Dew
-Autumn or warm summer
-Could be sticky steamy day
Images courtesy of Picnik.
I then changed the picture using picnik to the one below and asked the child how this picture then made her feel.
-Cold
-Winter
-Raining and miserable
-Early morning
This type of exercise can be used to teach students how easily images can be changed to make people feel different emotions when looking at them. This can then lead to how the media portray things.
Another effective activity I have seen used in the classroom is putting up an interesting photo such as the one below and asking students to write a story around that image. It is amazing the imagination that students have, and for some students its much easier to write a story this way rather than think of something themselves.
Image courtesy of free digital photos.net
Using images in the classroom also caters for those visual learners, I myself learn best when I can see how thing work visually.
Now I have the tools to use images effectively in the classroom I will be using them a lot more. Not just the images but also teaching students how to use the tools to change the look and meaning of images.
Hi Justine.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know about Picnik so I will have to check it out. I like the way you edited your image and changed the colour. I think this could also spark discussion with students about the use of photoshop and airbrushing images as I think students need to be aware that many images they see might not be a true representation as they have been altered. I also like your idea of using an image to create a story.
Kylie :)
Hi Kylie,
ReplyDeleteYes I couldnt agree more with you about the need for students to understand the way images can be easliy changed by technology. It would be great to get students to use tools such as photo shop just to show them how easily images can be changed.