DEVELOPING STUDENTS' VISUAL LITERACY IN A VIRTUAL MODELLING ENVIRONMENT

This study investigates the influence of virtual modelling activity on the development of students' visual literacy. An experiment was conducted using learning environment "Cell World" in order to enhance students' skills of analysing and translating visual information. The participants were 190 Estonian secondary school students who applied the models of protein synthesis and genetic code. A pre- and post-test was designed and completed to measure students' visual literacy. Results of the study indicated that students' skills in analysing visual information were higher after the application of the models. The students' ability to translate information across different representations also developed statistically significantly. This study therefore provides additional evidence that introducing manipulative learning objects in instructional settings can significantly improve learner's visual literacy.