Visual media assignments: Faculty vs. student experiences and expectations in engineering and business

Students are increasingly expected to deliver new knowledge through visual information formats without the level of consistent instruction and support that text-based information formats receive. This paper addresses the student expectation to deliver information through visual media formats and how librarians can work with faculty to support the development of visual information literacies. The disciplines of engineering and business are visual by nature because they use computerized drawings and data visualizations to develop and communicate models and ideas. This does not, however, ensure consistent and uniform visual literacy instruction and support. There is a gap in the literature comparing the experiences students have versus faculty regarding visual media assignment expectations. A survey was conducted to better understand the current state of visual media being assigned. The survey responses of engineering and business faculty were compared to engineering and business student responses. Focus groups were hosted to further explore the survey results. Despite high levels of confidence, both admitted to a level of guesswork while either assigning and grading visual media or completing visual media coursework. Both referred to the need for guidelines and a campus visual writing center. Library resources were identified to address these visual literacy needs.