The visual culture and the technique in images produced by students of undergraduate courses

Abstract

This article presents the results of a research that aimed to problematize how students of the undergraduate courses of an IFES represent the technique and technology in images produced by them. Those images then are constitutive of their visual culture. Image production workshops were organized. The following concepts were addressed: visual culture; Image Technical and technology. Participated in the Workshops 105 students (52 doubles) who produced 65 photographs from their choice of a phenomena in the surroundings of the university. They answered the questions: justify chosen phenomenon; has technique in that image? (Justify response); has technology in this image? (Justify the answer). Then the photos were projected and the concepts of visual culture, technique and technology were discussed. The analysis of the written responses of the students indicated that when choosing and justifying the phenomena they are holders of a visual culture "based on visuality, the tendency to figure or visualize existence". Most students understood the technique as a means to obtain an end. They also confused the technology with the technical apparatus and did not criticize technique or technology. All students showed familiarity with the "cellular" artifact, but did not criticize this use. The contemporary artifacts, particularly the cell phone, are so inserted in everyday life that it becomes difficult to surprise them, because there is a symbolic system, grounded in technical rationality, so rooted in everyday actions that make this familiarity difficult to miss. This is why they do not problematize the technique or technology, when producing or approaching a visual culture.