Explanatory and Instructional Graphics and Visual Information Literacy (EIGVIL) workshop
| Start date: | 08-09-2003 |
| End date: | 08-09-2003 |
| Location: | London Metropolitan University |
This event was sponsored by the Learning and Teaching Support Network for Information and Computer Sciences (LTSN-ICS) to facilitate discussion between two communities, the information designers and the information scientists, and share practices of graphic design to enhance communication and learning . The event was organised by Susie Andretta, Senior Lecturer in the Information Management school at the university, and Conrad Taylor, associate Editor of the Information Design Journal. EIGVIL aimed to make the case for a broader model of Visual Information Literacy: one that takes into account the textual and graphical elements of a language.
Participants included practicing information designers, operating in both public and private sectors, academics specialising in information management, digital media and design, as well as representatives from professional bodies like the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP) and Uk eUniversities . The programme was a reflection of the varied audience, covering both theoretical approaches, underpinning diagrammatic representations, and the practical applications of visual information to address the information needs of diverse users. The event concluded with the exploration of a Visual Information Literacy diagram broad enough to represent such a multi-faceted nature of information.
EIGVIL has generated considerable interest amongst the two communities and its successful delivery was reflected in the high level of attendance, the quality of interaction during the sessions and the positive feedback from participants. A preliminary review of this feedback illustrates an overall level of participants’ satisfaction with the event. Particularly praised were the pre-event organisation, the opportunity for networking and the practical emphasis of the discussions geared towards concrete examples of instructional and explanatory graphics. Visual Information Literacy was explored from a wide range of perspectives and further collaboration between the school of Information Management and information design practitioners is envisaged through the implementation of information design principles, such as visual learning and dual coding into delivery practices and curriculum development. The former is based on the idea of using a pictorial representation as the starting point for a visual dialogue that fosters in depth reflection associated with the active learning approach encouraged by Information Literacy, while the latter aims to balance textual and graphical information to improve the quality of the message, minimise the risk of overloading and, by implication, increase retention of the information by the recipient. The presentations from the day and links to further resources and reading are available from the EIGVIL website.
Participants included practicing information designers, operating in both public and private sectors, academics specialising in information management, digital media and design, as well as representatives from professional bodies like the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP) and Uk eUniversities . The programme was a reflection of the varied audience, covering both theoretical approaches, underpinning diagrammatic representations, and the practical applications of visual information to address the information needs of diverse users. The event concluded with the exploration of a Visual Information Literacy diagram broad enough to represent such a multi-faceted nature of information.
EIGVIL has generated considerable interest amongst the two communities and its successful delivery was reflected in the high level of attendance, the quality of interaction during the sessions and the positive feedback from participants. A preliminary review of this feedback illustrates an overall level of participants’ satisfaction with the event. Particularly praised were the pre-event organisation, the opportunity for networking and the practical emphasis of the discussions geared towards concrete examples of instructional and explanatory graphics. Visual Information Literacy was explored from a wide range of perspectives and further collaboration between the school of Information Management and information design practitioners is envisaged through the implementation of information design principles, such as visual learning and dual coding into delivery practices and curriculum development. The former is based on the idea of using a pictorial representation as the starting point for a visual dialogue that fosters in depth reflection associated with the active learning approach encouraged by Information Literacy, while the latter aims to balance textual and graphical information to improve the quality of the message, minimise the risk of overloading and, by implication, increase retention of the information by the recipient. The presentations from the day and links to further resources and reading are available from the EIGVIL website.