Visual Culture in the Elementary-School Classroom: Moving from Box-Store Commodities to Out-of-the-Box Thinking

Abstract

ABSTRACT The goal of the action research project on visual culture is to contribute to the dialogue on the exploratory ecology vs commodity culture of the elementary school classroom. Exploratory culture, unlike commodity culture, applauds open-ended thinking, inchoate imaginings, and critical thinking with its attachment to divergent paths to resolving problems. This educational action research project moves to effect change, so as to a) understand visual culture as an educational component of teaching and learning, and b) awaken the need for the inclusion of research on visual culture in student teacher preparation. Visual culture can best be understood when preservice teachers are immersed in the classroom. The visual landscape of the walls, light, air, hallways, seating arrangements, posters, rugs, room dividers, windows, entrances and exits of the classroom and school building can all be seen as a third teacher. The action research focuses on core classroom experiences revealed through six student teachers weekly reflections, post observation discussions, and interdisciplinary arts-infused lesson planning and facilitation. Engaging in lesson planning and implementation has shown to broaden student teachers’ understanding of meaning-making through the visual, the essence of visual culture. The student teachers described the dynamic synergy between language and visual arts teaching and learning, personalization of technology that can extend learning, and the role of imagination in the movable landscape of the classroom.