This teaching resource has been submitted by David Martin at Washington State University.
Discipline
Other
Learning Level
College/University
Short Overview
Concept: This assignment draws on a simple concept that some images are deemed iconic, as they represent messaging or understanding well beyond just the image itself; however, sometimes it takes a longer focus on the image and further research in order to unpack that larger messaging.
Time Commitment: This assignment can take as much or little time as deemed necessary. Usually I plan for a period of three (3) weeks from beginning to initial draft; however, it is quite possible to use this as a segue into other assignments.
Target Audience: Realistically, you could do this assignment with lower grades all the way up to graduate level depending on what you wish to focus on. The caution might be in which databases you draw from for the images (see assignment sheet for current assignment databases). At a college level, I generally draw from some image collections that raise some challenging issues. You may choose to curate your own collection of images as well. Time magazine has yearly collections as well as the Top 100 images of all time, and other news outlets have started curating their own.
Ideal Number of Participants: I guess this just depends on how you want to approach the assignment. If you are assigning an essay (say 3-4 pages), you will need to factor in the amount of time it takes to give formative and summative feedback into the scale of the assignment. I currently use this assignment with 3 sections of 24 students, but it takes quite awhile to get through them (2-3 weeks) on top of other elements of my work load.
Adaptations: You may consider adapting the assignment as your outcomes allow, possibly using a presentation of findings as opposed to a formal essay. Students could also do a short video project or create a news broadcast focusing on the image. Options abound.
Learning Outcomes
–Identify Problems or Key Questions about an image deemed iconic
–Identify an image that represents a larger message from a database provided
–Identify credible source information & use it ethically to support understanding and analysis of the messaging represented in the image
–Integrate personal ideas with those of outside sources
–Use information effectively to accomplish a specific purpose
–Demonstrate awareness of the need for multiple drafts (to include giving/receiving feedback and adapting content based on feedback)
Resources Required
–Images available in an online database such as the Time 2023 Photos of the Year
*Link: https://time.com/6337364/top-100-photos-2023/
–Computer(s) to access the images and type up drafts
–Internet access
–Printed assignment sheet
–Possible printed images (for those who prefer to see the image in print form)
–Possibly paper for brainstorming
Downloads/Attachments
https://visualliteracytoday.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/IconicImageAnalysis_AssignmentSheet.pdf
Useful Links
- https://
- https://