1. Vibrant Visual Representations
ICTENSW Workshop, May 14th 2012
Alexander Wharton |awha2109@uni.sydney.edu.au | @whartonag

2. Workshop Outline
 Rationale
 Tool 1: Tagxedo
 Tool 2: BigHugeLabs
 Other tools to try…
 Tool 3: Glogster
 Conclusion
 References

3. Rationale
 Until recently, written language had been the most highly
valued form of communication in our education system. Now
as the written word continues to evolve, emphasis on
multimodal texts (spoken, aural, visual, written) continues to
be given a bigger voice in curriculum (DEEWR, 2009).
 Students who are “visually literate”, live with visual texts and
need to understand the technical skills to manipulate text,
image, and color; but they also need to understand how these
elements work together to create meaning (Callow, 2003).
 In a single day, a young person can view up to 5,000 visual
messages (Story, 2007)
 Researchers from Ohio University in 2011 reported that using
visuals in teaching results in a “greater degree of learning”.

4. Tool 1: Tagxedo
 http://www.tagxedo.com/ (DEC Unblocked)
 More dynamic and flexible than wordle
 Pre-reading, vocabulary, symbolism, representation

5. Tool 2: Big Huge Labs
 http://bighugelabs.com/ (DEC Yr 9+)
 Popart, puzzles, magazine covers, captions and
other special effects for photographs and images
 Student image manipulation, presentation content

6. Other tools to try….
Gliffy.com – floor plans, flow charts, venn etc. (DEC
Unblocked)
Pinterest.com – online pinboard of interests (DEC
staff)
Quickmeme.com – create internet memes (DEC
staff)
Easel.ly – create infographics (DEC Unblocked)

7. Tool 3: (Edu)Glogster
 edu.glogster.com (DEC Unblocked)
 Student tool AND/OR presentation strategy
 Some exemplars from the gloglopedia…
 Poster
http://glogsteredu.edu.glogster.com/go-green-initiative-eart
 Overview
http://englishtips.edu.glogster.com/modules/
 Guided activities
http://rheeter.edu.glogster.com/the-hobbit/
 Presentation http://ndonn.edu.glogster.com/titanic/

8. Glogster student samples
 Teaching reading path (swimming)
http://www.glogster.com/scotty2hotty1609/poster-
glog-by-scotty2hotty1609/g-6li4arrve39ak7c6u4co5a0
 Marketing (love)
http://www.glogster.com/dbryant97/daisy-xxx-
cupid/g-6li4b3vas69olklle9dkfa0
 Representation (boxing)
http://www.glogster.com/joshuamoschetto/wide-glog-
by-joshuamoschetto/g-6li4ajqdh745tc6taavfna0
 Persuasion
http://www.glogster.com/charlytilsley/acting-is-the-
key-of-life/g-6lhu4knqk16uusg7j3lk7a0

9. Edu.glogster continued
1. Sign in top right >>>>
2. Register for single free >
3. Enter your details >>>>>>
4. Create new glog
5. E-mail confirmation sent

10. Glogging task
 You are required to create your own glog on an interest
area of your choice…
 Start off by choosing a wall
 Then add some graphics, text/s and some image/s
 In doing this, aim for some consistency in your overall
design
 Practical implications
 2 period creation time
 Technical difficulties means students can draft/plan
 Study skills and revision
 Representing and organising ideas/concepts in new and
dynamic ways

11. Conclusion
“[Modeling] visual texts is not just
important, it's absolutely critical. It's going
to make the difference between whether kids
are a tool of the mass media or whether the
mass media is a tool for kids to use.”Linda
Ellerbee, Nickelodeon TV Host
“We must prepare young people for living
in a world of powerful images, words and
sounds.” UNESCO, 1982

12. References
 Callow, J. (2003). Talking about visual texts with students.
Reading Online, 6(8).
 CEO. (2002).
http://www.ceosyd.catholic.edu.au/Parents/Curriculum/Do
cuments/guide-visualliteracy.pdf
 DEEWR. (2009).
http://www.deewr.gov.au/Youth/OfficeForYouth/
Documents/EffectiveCommunication.pdf
 Ohio University (2011).
http://ocio.osu.edu/elearning/toolbox/brief/visual-
information/7-things-you-should-know-about-visual-
information/
 Story, L. (2007).