Visual Culture In Visual Education

Background
Visual culture covers such a wide array of visual artifacts that it is often difficult to ascertain what exactly visual culture art education is and how it is used in the classroom. Unlike many art education methods used today, visual culture has no core or basic principles that need to be taught before going on to something else (Duncum, 2015). However, I believe that this is an advantage because visual culture art education can be tailored to the culture and interests of the students. Students can learn to understand how visual imagery relates to their lives by deconstruction as well as making their own images (Duncum, 2009).
Although visual culture can be used to connect art to students’ lives in many different ways, it is still

As previously stated, children’s knowledge is not only gained through school but through the popular visual culture as well. Art educators have a responsibility to develop students’ understanding and knowledge of the world because visuals are so pervasive in today’s society (Eckhoff & Guberman, 2006). Without a curriculum to develop this, students’ worldviews will be developed by the agenda set forth by the visual media they consume. This can lead to students to accepting the cultural myths and stereotypes that are prevalent in visual media (Różalska, 2009). If viewers look passively then they will most likely passively accept the social positions and social functions that are represented in visual culture (Amburgy, 2011). By providing opportunities for students to critically examine the visual artifacts that they see on a daily basis we can reduce the influence of the hidden agenda of visual culture (Han, 2013) and students can learn to analyze the overwhelming flow of visuals to construct understandings (Knochel, 2013). Even through the simple act of reflecting on the genres of TV shows they enjoy, students can understand why they are attracted to them. This will enhance a student’s ability to see beyond an image and change their thinking habits to resist media manipulation (Christopoulou, 2010). In addition, students can learn how visual culture helps us to reflect on our own history and the history of our communities

Since all children construct knowledge from the visual culture they are exposed to it is important to use examples from their culture. Using Disney movies or advertisements from global brands are good examples of visual culture that students are familiar with and can be used in classroom activities to learn about different cultures (Tavin & Anderson, 2003). However, Japanese visual culture like manga, television shows, and posts on twitter are also types of media that my students consume on a daily basis, so I feel they should be used as well. Examining and responding to visual culture from social media will be particularly helpful to develop a deeper understanding of cultural issues (Hung & Smith,