The Power of Visuals: The Significance of Higher Education Teacher Professional Development in Visual Literacy in Kuwait

Abstract

This study explores the role of higher education professional development in the integration of visual literacy instruction at the university level. Visual literacy is a crucial skill that empowers students to comprehend and generate visual content across diverse domains. However, many instructors lack necessary training and support to effectively incorporate visual literacy into their teaching practices. The research survey investigates the significance of teacher professional development in visual literacy implementation, encompassing the status of training, effective professional development programs for teachers, suitable teaching methods, education technologies, attitudes of higher education instructors towards visual literacy, and the influence of student engagement with visual materials on visual literacy advancement in Kuwait. The questionnaire was administered to a sample of higher education teachers. That data was analyzed employing descriptive and inferential statistical techniques, with SPSS v.26 software. Regression analysis and other multivariate analyses were conducted to test the research hypothesis and model. The outcomes should provide insights into the effectiveness of collaborative, experiential, and technology-enhanced teacher professional development programs in fostering visual literacy development within higher education, the significance of student engagement with visual materials, and the necessity for further research on effective teaching methods and educational technologies for promoting visual literacy. The findings can inform policy and practice by highlighting the importance of equipping higher education instructors with necessary skills and resources to effectively incorporate visual literacy into their teaching approaches, enhancing the quality of higher education by fostering competencies among students and facilitating their engagement with visual materials across various disciplines.