North Carolina Museum of Art: summer 2014

Workshop: Harnessing the Power of the Visual Arts

through DBQ (Part 1)

Seeing comes before words. The child looks and

recognizes long before she can read.

-

Reading images is a near-primal skill

No matter what textual reading level your

students may possess, they are likely ALL

advanced visual learners; why not reach EVERY

student , EVERY TIME, by way of using art and

visuals?

History Students

“READING” Art

The DBQ requires Literacy Skills: TEXTUAL and VISUAL• Today, we will explore methods of enhancing visual

and textual literacy skills necessary for student success:

• OUR AGENDA: • 1. VTS: Visual Thinking Strategies, how to • 2. Thinglink: a visual platform• 3. What is the DBQ and its role in the AP Test• crafting and teaching POV Analysis• 4. ScreenCast presentations• 5. Making students responsible for learning: • VTS / Thinglink / Screencast / Educanon• 6. Using NCMA images in comparison

Visual Teaching and Learning

HOW do you READ Visuals?

•How do you use ART and

visuals in your

classroom?

Visual thinking Strategies (VTS)

How can we use art ? • TEACHERS can tell the students about the

art …..and students become passive receivers of information.

• Disinterest may result:

Or we can ENGAGE students by using VTS: Visual Thinking Strategies

• Students can collaboratively “read” the art / image and tell what they see.

• The teacher selects the image and facilitates discussion.

• Results: LESS BORING and….engaged students share differing points of view.

"The most effective experiences for stimulating aesthetic development give the learner repeated opportunity to construct meaning from different points of view, take place in an environment that supports looking in new and meaningful ways, and are inspired by rich, varied, and carefully chosen works of art.”   

-Abigail Housen, from Art Viewing and Aesthetic Development

Visual Thinking Strategies: Philosphy

• 1. Give a minute to look• 2. Ask: What’s going on here?• 3. point, repeat, confirm, clarify• 4. Ask: “What makes you say

that?”• 5. ASK: What more can we find?

How do you “do” a VTS ?

Step ONE…• Allow viewers about a minute to OBSERVE and

LOOK at the image, quietly.

Then ask….

•What’s going on here ?

Point, repeat, confirm, clarify….• As students share

their observations

• Teacher should point, repeat to clarify, and confirm the student’s thoughts aloud

• DO NOT JUDGE The “TRUTH” of their response….

Differing views will be expressed……and heard

What makes you say that ?

• Asking students to back up their visual THOUGHTS with VISUAL EVIDENCE …reinforces the writing process

Visual Thinking Strategies

• Give Time to look

• What’s going on here? (point, repeat, clarify, confirm)

• ask: What makes you say that?

• What more can we find?

www.vtshome.org

CLICK HERE For VTS in Action:

1. grade school Students 2. High School standard

level class3. High School -- honors level class

VTS enhances aesthetic appreciation…..and stops at teaching content

• So when does the teacher share his or her knowledge about the history surrounding the image ?

• THINGLINK is a visual platform

• It is one way of bridging the gap between conducting a guided discussion to “teaching” historical relevance.