Teaching Critical Visual Literacies through #Selfies

Abstract

This qualitative, ethnographic case study investigated the use of selfies in the development of middle school students’ critical visual literacy skills in the digital age. The data collected included the students’ selfies and the video/ photo recordings of the students during their selfie creation and analysis processes. Data was coded thematically (Charmaz) and analyzed using critical visual methods discussed in Rose’s An Introduction to the Interpretation of Visual Materials and also using visual narrative analysis (Riessman), with a focus on creative production, community sharing, and critical deconstruction. Findings from the study indicate that a lesson on selfies can encourage reflection, critical thinking, and effective communication—twenty-first-century skills and competencies.