Implementing Visual Literacy Techniques among Future Educators in Pre-school and Primary School Settings

In today's society, the pervasive influence of visual culture underscores the necessity of audiovisual literacy, particularly for primary education teachers who have to navigate a digital, image-centric world. This research aims to evaluate the impact of a visual competence intervention on early childhood and primary school teachers (N= 224) assessing its educational and social significance. Employing both quantitative and qualitative methodologies, the study involved a questionnaire on socio-demographic information and audiovisual habits, alongside an analysis of 31 open-ended questions focusing on Perception, Interpretation, Reception, and Creation/Production. Additionally, photographs taken by students post-training were examined for evidence of significant learning. The findings revealed an enhanced awareness among students regarding photographic content and messaging, confirming the hypothesis that future teachers lack essential visual competence. The study highlights the critical need for improved visual culture education among future teachers to better serve a society increasingly oriented towards audiovisual communication.