Abstract:

In this paper, I show through a concrete example how preschool teachers can use digital tools such as digital cameras, computers and a photo editing program to educate children towards visual literacy. The first part of the paper describes the role of photography as a bearer of truth from a historical perspective, and is based on areas such as photojournalism and visual literacy [1]. The second part of this paper presents a learning activity, corresponding to learning goals in the preschool curriculum [2]. The activity, in which preschool kids manipulate photographs was carried out as follows. First, each child was provided with the opportunity to take one photograph of themselves and one photograph of something they appreciated in nature. Then, the two photografies were transferred to a computer. The children combined and adjusted the properties of the two photographs and merged them into one image. This was followed by the children printing their images to paper and then presenting the images at a vernissage. During the vernissage the children were expected to present the creation process and thus the image manipulation including change of colours and transparency. The study includes a discussion of the preschool teachers' intentional focus and the acquisition of skills within the framework of digital literacy. The children's experience in regard to the activity is represented here by a small group of preschool children, aged 3- 4 years. The children account for their experience and according to their understanding of photographs as bearers of truth. The example shows how digital constructed photographs can be used by preschool teachers to educate children towards visual literacy.

References:
[1] Messaris, Paul (2012) “Visual ‘Literacy’ in the Digital Age, Review of Communication, Vol.12(2), 101-117.
[2] Swedish National Agency for Education “Curriculum for preschool 2018”, 2018. ISBN: 978-913832736-4

Keywords:

Digital competence, preschool, digital skills, digital literacy, visual literacy.