AICI 201
Visual Literacy & Instructional Aesthetics
This pathway pairs each core lesson on visual literacy and instructional aesthetics with a “.1” mastery studio. The primary lesson introduces the design skill; the follow-up studio uses critique and revision of real artifacts to show mastery.
From “pretty slides” to purposeful visual systems that carry cognition and culture.
Jump to a Lesson
Select a core lesson or its mastery studio. Each pair stacks the lesson above its “.1” critique session.
Lesson 1
Seeing Instruction as Visual Design
Learners explore how slides, handouts, whiteboards, and LMS pages already function as visual interfaces shaping student experience.
Learning Focus
- Define visual literacy in the context of teaching and learning.
- Identify instructional artifacts as designed objects, not neutral containers.
- Notice how students “read” layouts, not just words.
Lesson Flow
- Visual gallery of common classroom materials (slides, worksheets, LMS pages).
- Quick individual rating of each artifact for clarity and usability.
- Facilitated debrief of what makes one artifact easier to engage with than another.
Core Activities
- Annotate printed or digital artifacts with “I notice / I feel / I’m confused by…” notes.
- Map each artifact to ADTL pillars: where do Cognitive Design, Aesthetic Experience, and Cultural Connection show up?
Evidence of Progress
- Completed annotations on at least two artifacts.
- Written reflection explaining one way visual design changes how students experience a lesson.
This lesson meets the goal by shifting educators from seeing materials as static documents
to understanding them as visual experiences that can be intentionally shaped.
Lesson 1.1
Mastery Studio: My Visual Landscape
Learners bring real materials from their own practice and subject them to structured visual and experiential critique.
Mastery Demonstration
- Each participant selects one slide, handout, or LMS screen from their real teaching.
- They describe how students currently interact with it and where students typically get lost or disengaged.
- They name at least three visual decisions that affect that experience (positively or negatively).
Critique & Discussion
- Peers use a protocol (e.g., “clear / cluttered / confusing / compelling”) to respond to each artifact.
- Group explores how different students might read the same visual differently.
Mastery Indicators
- Participant can talk about their artifact as design, not just content.
- Participant can name specific visual decisions they will change based on feedback.
- Participant connects critique back to ADTL pillars with accurate language.
Mastery here is in the ability to see one’s own materials as designed visual experiences,
and to reflect on them using a shared aesthetic and pedagogical vocabulary.
Lesson 2
Visual Hierarchy & Cognitive Pathways
Learners study how size, weight, color, and placement create visual hierarchy that supports or undermines Cognitive Design.
Learning Focus
- Define visual hierarchy and why it matters for comprehension.
- Recognize common patterns (title → key idea → supporting details → cues).
- Connect hierarchy choices to cognitive load and focus.
Lesson Flow
- Mini-lesson on contrast, size, alignment, and proximity.
- Demonstration of “eye-tracking” paths on different layouts.
- Group critique of sample layouts with intentionally broken hierarchy.
Core Activities
- Rebuild a simple text-heavy slide into a hierarchically clear layout.
- Label primary, secondary, and tertiary elements in their design.
Evidence of Progress
- Revised artifact with clearly visible hierarchy.
- Short written rationale for hierarchy decisions (“I want students to see X first…”).
This lesson meets the goal by giving educators concrete tools for controlling how students visually enter and process information.
Lesson 2.1
Mastery Studio: Hierarchy in My Materials
Learners work with their own materials, testing how well hierarchy supports cognitive focus and revising in real time.
Mastery Demonstration
- Participants bring a slide or page where students often miss the main idea.
- They trace how students likely read the current layout.
- They design and present an alternative hierarchy path.
Critique & Discussion
- Peers respond: “Where did your eye go first, second, third?”
- Discussion of which cognitive steps the new hierarchy supports or clarifies.
Mastery Indicators
- Participant can identify misaligned hierarchy and correct it.
- Participant can articulate the cognitive pathway supported by their revision.
- Participant can anticipate how the new design will change student behavior.
Mastery is shown through precise adjustment of hierarchy to better support thinking,
backed by a clear explanation of intended cognitive flow.
Lesson 3
Layout, Grids & Negative Space
Learners examine how grids, alignment, and negative space reduce cognitive clutter and support pattern recognition.
Learning Focus
- Understand grids as invisible scaffolds for information.
- Recognize the role of negative space in legibility and focus.
- Identify misalignment and crowding in existing layouts.
Lesson Flow
- Overlay sample artifacts with simple grid lines.
- Identify where elements fight the grid vs. align with it.
- Mini-lesson on “breathing room” around key ideas.
Core Activities
- Re-layout a multi-part slide into a clean, grid-based structure.
- Decide where to intentionally add negative space to support emphasis.
Evidence of Progress
- Redesigned layout that clearly follows a grid.
- Annotated rationale for where and why space was added or removed.
This lesson meets the goal by teaching educators to see structure and emptiness as active design tools.
Lesson 3.1
Mastery Studio: Grid-Based Redesign Critique
Learners bring dense or chaotic visuals and transform them into calm, grid-aligned instructional spaces.
Mastery Demonstration
- Participants present a “before” version of a cluttered slide or handout.
- They show their grid overlay and redesigned “after” version.
- They explain how the new layout supports student scanning and note-taking.
Critique & Discussion
- Peers provide feedback on rhythm, balance, and readability.
- Facilitator highlights strong uses of negative space as cognitive support.
Mastery Indicators
- Participant can design to a simple grid with consistency.
- Participant can justify spacing decisions in relation to student cognition.
- Participant responds to critique with targeted, specific revisions.
Mastery appears when educators reliably use grid and space to calm complexity without losing meaning.
Lesson 4
Typography, Color & Accessibility
Learners examine how font choices, text size, contrast, and color palettes influence readability, tone, and equity.
Learning Focus
- Differentiate between decorative and functional type.
- Understand color contrast and accessibility basics.
- Connect color and typography choices to emotional and cultural resonance.
Lesson Flow
- Comparison of the same content in different typefaces and color schemes.
- Discussion: “Who can and can’t access this slide?”
- Mini-lesson on accessible contrast ratios and font sizing.
Core Activities
- Audit a set of existing slides or documents for type and color issues.
- Draft a simple “typography and color ruleset” for their own practice.
Evidence of Progress
- Completed audit notes identifying accessibility and readability concerns.
- Initial ruleset aligning typography and color with ADTL pillars.
This lesson meets the goal by making typography and color visible as ethical and pedagogical choices.
Lesson 4.1
Mastery Studio: Accessible Aesthetic Revision
Learners apply their ruleset to revise materials and then critique how accessibility and aesthetics work together.
Mastery Demonstration
- Participants present a revised artifact with updated typography and color.
- They walk through how the new design meets accessibility needs.
- They explain how the aesthetic still aligns with their pedagogical identity.
Critique & Discussion
- Peers review for legibility, contrast, and emotional tone.
- Group considers the experience of students with different processing needs.
Mastery Indicators
- Participant follows a clear, documented type & color system.
- Participant can explain design decisions through both equity and aesthetics.
- Participant demonstrates willingness to adjust based on feedback.
Mastery emerges when design feels both beautiful and welcoming to a wide range of learners.
Lesson 5
Multi-Modal Visuals & Concept Mapping
Learners explore how to design visual representations—maps, diagrams, icons—that genuinely help students build mental models.
Learning Focus
- Understand when an image supports understanding vs. distracts.
- Use simple shapes and icons to represent relationships and processes.
- Connect concept mapping to ADTL’s Cognitive Design pillar.
Lesson Flow
- Examples of effective vs. cluttered diagrams.
- Mini-workshop on sketching low-fidelity visual models.
- Pair work converting a text explanation into a visual model.
Core Activities
- Design a concept map or process diagram for a current topic.
- Identify where images or icons could replace text for clarity.
Evidence of Progress
- Draft diagram or concept map with labeled relationships.
- Explanation of how the visual form supports specific learning goals.
This lesson meets the goal by showing educators how visual forms can become primary conveyors of meaning.
Lesson 5.1
Mastery Studio: Concept Map Critique & Iteration
Learners present their diagrams or concept maps and refine them using peer and facilitator critique framed by ADTL.
Mastery Demonstration
- Participants present their visual model to peers as if explaining to students.
- They articulate the specific thinking moves the visual is meant to support.
Critique & Discussion
- Peers ask, “What part was clearest? Where did you get lost?”
- Feedback focuses on structure, labeling, and simplicity.
Mastery Indicators
- Participant can simplify or reorganize visuals based on critique.
- Participant can connect revisions explicitly to learner cognition.
- Participant anticipates misconceptions the visual might reveal or prevent.
Mastery appears when educators treat visuals as living models that evolve based on how students respond.
Lesson 6
The Aesthetic Classroom Environment
Learners zoom out from single artifacts to the total visual environment: walls, boards, screens, and student work displays.
Learning Focus
- Recognize the classroom as a 360° visual experience.
- Identify distractions, noise, and visual overload in current spaces.
- Connect environment design to ADTL’s Aesthetic Experience and Cultural Connection pillars.
Lesson Flow
- Virtual or photographic “walkthroughs” of different classroom environments.
- Discussion of what each space communicates about learning and belonging.
- Mini-lesson on focal points, calm zones, and student work curation.
Core Activities
- Sketch a simplified floor/wall plan of their own space.
- Mark areas to declutter, highlight, or redesign for specific functions (focus, collaboration, celebration).
Evidence of Progress
- Annotated environment sketch with initial redesign ideas.
- Written notes on how changes will affect student perception and behavior.
This lesson meets the goal by expanding visual literacy from page and screen to the full learning environment.
Lesson 6.1
Mastery Studio: Environment Redesign & Reflection
Learners present environment redesign plans, real photos (if possible), and reflections on how the space now teaches with them.
Mastery Demonstration
- Participants share “before” and “after” sketches or photos of their environment.
- They explain specific zones (focus, collaboration, celebration) and their visual logic.
- They describe how students responded to or will likely respond to the new design.
Critique & Discussion
- Peers offer feedback on coherence, accessibility, and cultural representation.
- Group discusses how environment design can evolve over a semester.
Mastery Indicators
- Participant can articulate how the environment now reflects ADTL pillars.
- Participant links environment choices to specific learner needs and behaviors.
- Participant identifies next refinements based on observed or anticipated student feedback.
Final mastery is evidenced when educators treat their environment as an ongoing visual narrative
that supports cognition, culture, and aesthetic experience over time.