Abstract:

Researchers in instructional technology have been encouraging K-12 teachers to incorporate technologies in their classrooms to enhance teaching effectiveness. Among different media of technology, photography is a popular one. For example, it is common for a teacher to show photographs of rivers, lakes, hills, or mountains to elementary students when teaching them natural landscapes.

However, according to art educator and critic Terry Barrett (2008), photographs have four types, and each type has its unique functions. The “show-and-tell” documentary type, as just mentioned, is only one of them. If teachers can be more aware of the characteristics and capacities of other three types of photographs, more k-12 school subjects can be interestingly taught, and visual learners may acquire knowledge more efficiently.

This paper surveys four types of photographs, as well as what and how school subjects can be taught more effectively when teachers implement these four types of photographs in their K-12 classrooms. Four types of photographs include: realist, expressionist, formalist, and postmodernist (Barrett, 2008). Realist photographs, faithfully capturing and providing information, as well as when done systematically, explaining concepts, can be used to teach science, math, and social studies. Expressionist photographs, revealing one’s feelings, emotions, and imagination, can be used to teach language arts to supplement the insufficiency of words. Formalist photographs, highlighting beautiful forms, can be used to teach sense of beauty. Postmodernist photographs, challenging existing norms, can be used to teach writing and social studies when critical thinking encouraged.

Keywords:

Instructional Technology, Photographs.