Development of Creative Literacy on an Artistic Photography Course

Abstract

 Individuals with creative literacy are acknowledged to play important roles in the
development of a creative society. This article reports design-based research into an
artistic photography course aimed at enabling undergraduates to acquire creative lit-
eracy. The photography course, taught by a professional photographer, included the
following activities: lectures teaching the theory and practice of photography; appreci-
ation and imitation of acclaimed artistic photographs; reflection by the participants on
their own photo taking through diary writing; and an artwork exhibition in the class-
room. Twenty-one undergraduates participated in this course and acquired knowledge
of artistic photography. Interviews conducted one year after the end of the course re-
veal that the number of students who practiced photography increased after the course.
They reported that they had benefitted from the hands-on experience of photo taking,
from acquiring knowledge and skills of photography, and from inspiration by artworks
encountered on the photography course.