It is actually the mode of visual learning that most people associate with photography. Activities that help students develop good visual communication skills might include having students learn to read visual images for the depth and the detail they contain. Asking students to practice organizing visual elements in a photograph can often translate to seeing better ways to organize written information in paragraphs and essays. A student who learns the importance of sequencing a series of images to better communicate an idea visually can often transfer that learning to written modes of communication. Evaluating in the communication mode at last returns us to traditional ground.
Communication is about form.
When we evaluate a written work for spelling, punctuation, organization, and the mechanics of grammar, we are evaluating form. Similarly, when we look at the focus, exposure, lighting, composition and attention to detail in a photograph, we are critiquing its formal elements. An easy way to do this is in class or small group critiques. Establish and discuss the elements you want to look for in each photograph. Then have teams examine their images against the standards you have established.