Beyond Reality: Virtual Storytellers and the New Age of Visual Literacy

• In Event: Literacies of Technology as an Agent of Change in Teaching and Learning

Abstract

With the rise of new technologies that merge text and image, there is a need to redefine literacy (Kress, 2003). Visual literacy, essential in the 21st century, intertwines with human experience (Supsakova, 2016). VR, a key visual mode, enhances visual literacy through authentic experiences and is now being explored in education (Pilgrim & Pilgrim, 2016). This study investigates how TV and VR modes affect story retelling among six fourth-grade bilingual students. Students experienced a silent story via TV and VR, with observations and interviews assessing retelling volume and reactions. Results showed that VR significantly increased retelling volume and student interaction with the silent story compared to TV. This study highlights VR's potential as a powerful tool for literacy instruction.

Authors

• Safa Al Othali, ADEK

• Maha Alhabbash, United Arab Emirates University

• Najah Al Mohammedi, United Arab Emirates University

• Negmeldin Omer Alsheikh, United Arab Emirates University