TEDxDartmouth - Brian Kennedy - Visual Literacy: Why We Need It

The Foundations of Visual Learning00:00:08

Brian Kennedy reflects on his personal background with architecture and his childhood obsession with collecting postcards, which taught him how to organize and observe the progression of artistic history.

Defining Visual Literacy00:02:20

Visual literacy is defined as the ability to construct meaning from images. It serves as a tool for critical thinking and cognitive development, rather than just a simple skill.

Universal Communication in the Digital Age00:03:23

In an era of digital natives, Kennedy highlights that visuals act as a universal language. He discusses the necessity of integrating text and image to navigate a world where we process visual information 60,000 times faster than text.

The Method of Slow-Looking00:08:23

To truly understand our surroundings, Kennedy advocates for 'slow-looking'—a systematic method of observing, describing, analyzing, and finally interpreting what we see.

Integrating Visual Literacy into Education00:13:42

Kennedy argues for the necessity of a formal visual literacy curriculum. He concludes that by training ourselves to decode images, we can enhance global understanding and enrich our daily experiences.