Our Philosophy

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Led by long-term educators, the Visual Literacy Project is rooted in an understanding that learning happens best through engagement with multiple mediums. While the written word has long been considered the cornerstone of literacy, in the 21st century the ability to analyze and create meaning through moving and still images is equally, if not more, important. We believe that education should be socially, culturally, and professionally relevant to secondary students, and that different modes of expression, interaction, and assessment should be valued in schools. There is tremendous power in students making connections between their studies and their own lives and experiences, and in applying new knowledge to real-world issues and problems. 

 

We know that practicing social documentary work is an excellent way to develop traditional and new academic literacies, and to engage students with themselves, each other, and the larger world. Our programming helps students to better understand themselves and the larger communities and systems of which they are a part, and gives them the tools to participate in shaping them.

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