"There can be no words without images."
With
the above quote from Aristotle (384-322 B.C.), we welcome you to the JlMC 342 web site. This site is intended for use by Iowa State University students enrolled in this course. In its current form, this is a theory-then-practice course (with JlMC 342L), which is based on knowledge about visual literacy, perceptual psychology, visual grammar, light, color, history and ethics.
Through a number of assigned articles, chapters, and other readings, this course is designed to give students a theoretical basis to understand and communicate more effectively in various visual formats and media. That is, by bringing into their consciousness visual sensations that typically get tuned out, they will be more effective visual communicators for years to come.
JlMC 342 introduces students to the principles of visual literacy and gives them several hands-on experiences. During the course, we adopt verbal literacy as a metaphor for visual literacy: In learning to read other people’s visual messages, students become better equipped to more critically consume and create visual stories. The hope is that these skills and knowledge will provide a base they can build on as our society, economy and media continue to converge and change throughout the 21st Century.
If you have any questions about this site or experience difficulty using it, please contact Jacob Groshek