Classical and Medieval theories of memory and learning, for instance, placed a strong emphasis on how the visual format of words and lies affected the ordering of information in the mind.

[8] In 1969 Debes offered a tentative definition of the concept: "Visual literacy refers to a group of vision-competencies a human being can develop by seeing and at the same time having and integrating other sensory experiences.

"[9] A white paper drawn up in January 2004, defines visual literacy as "understanding how people perceive objects, interpret what they see, and what they learn from them".

Since technological advances continue to develop at an unprecedented rate, educators are increasingly promoting the learning of visual literacies as indispensable to life in the information age.

[11] Educators are recognizing the importance of helping students develop visual literacies in order to survive and communicate in a highly complex world.

Skills include the evaluation of advantages and disadvantages of visual representations, to improve shortcomings, to use them to create and communicate knowledge, or to devise new ways of representing insights.

[16] Film director Martin Scorsese emphasizes how children should begin developing visual literacy skills at an early age.