Weekly Reading #5

Chapter 3:
“Perception plays a central role in our understanding of the world. In our engagements with the world around us, our perceptual system, or what we call our senses allow us to gather information that helps us understand our experiences. Perception is a transaction between the qualities of the environments in which we lie and the experiences a person brings to those qualities…” (Serafini, 2014, p. 31).

This quote, to me, crystallizes the essence of what we are trying to achieve in this class. Our goals as educators include getting our studetns to see beyond what they have been doing as interpretation to date; to show them that there is a distinct difference between merely looking and actually seeing. Just as we repeatedly have told (and been told) that there is a difference between hearing (i.e. noticing a sound) and listening (paying attention to that sound and interpreting it/responding to it), there is a similarity with regard to noticing/being perceptive to the components of multimodal ensembles. It is our job to get our students to see how their own experiences and perceptions shape their personal conceptions of ideas and how each other individuals may interpret a concept in a myriad of different ways from what they themselves have interpreted a concept. We must help our students realize that all interpretations are constructed via our senses, experiences, and personal traits. Interpretations are also shaped through (and embedded in) historical, political, and social contexts; no concept/interpretation stands alone.

Chapter 4:
“These three metafunctions [the ideational metafunction, the interpersonal metafunction, and the textual metafunction] provide a ‘conceptual framework for representing the social context as the semiotic environment in which people exchange meanings’…” (Serafini, 2014, p. 46).

I chose this quote because, although I was previously aware of some of the context in which meaning takes place, the three metafunctions which make communication work across time and contexts were new to me. While I was aware of the “how” language is used to represent ideas and concepts (the ideational metafunction), the interpersonal metafunction (of how language establishes relationships between the producer and the receiver), while making sense, was not a concept that I had considered.

Obviously a relationship between communicator and communicatee DOES exist; however, I had not been exposed to the details behind it before outside of how information/communication is presented. The third metafunction, textual metafunction, is another concept that, while it is understandable that it exists, it was never fully explored in previous arenas. This framework provided the basis for the multimodal metafunctions, which we present to our students within which utilize verbal and visual cues for interpretation of meaning.

Chapter 5:
“…students need to consider the basic elements of art, design, and visual grammar used to compose visual images and multimodal ensembles to better understand how these entities work. As educators, we need to help students experience the qualities of works of art and other visual images and use these experiences to better understand the features and meaning potentials of multimodal ensembles…” (Serafini, 2014, p. 55)

This quote actually provoked a strong negative reaction; however, it was not with regard to the information that it presented. I strongly agree that, as educators, we need to help our students interpret various facets of visual images to better understand the variety of meaning behind the multimodal ensembles. That said, I found it rather disturbing that the educators are taking on, to some degree, the role of an art teacher: look at the “visual grammar” (the elements of visual art) that contribute to the visual composition. While I understand that there is much more to the elemental makeup of the ensemble than this, I find it interesting that we are taking on the role of teaching students about the artistic composition – an area of education that could have been furthered by the role of the now-defunct art educators (in many school systems).

  2. Image:

3. Content Analysis:

What do you see?
I see several matriarchal families who are living in severe poverty. Their homes are tarp-covered, cave-like dwellings. There is no happiness in these faces. All are serious, including the children. However, despite their obvious poverty, they are neatly dressed in clean garments, worn but clean. They surely struggle to survive, but they have a definite pride as well.

What is the image about?
I found this image on a site that works to provide developing world producers a fair price for the products that they produce (hand-made jewelry, wooden boxes, scarves, and cards). In addition to providing a fair market price, Fairtrade Inspires (the organization) promotes the fair treatment of workers as well as a safe working environment.

This image is a representation of a group of such workers who stand to benefit from those who are more prosperous to help the workers. The women are working to support their families through this trade organization, and the picture serves to illustrate not only that the women are the sole support of their families but also to demonstrate how deplorable the conditions are in which the workers live.

Are there people in the image? What are they doing? How are they presented?
There are people in the image. It appears that they are waiting for someone to come to their aid and to help them in their plight to have a better life for themselves and their children…waiting and hoping that their children can have safe, clean housing and purified drinking water so that they can life long, healthy lives. The people are presented as heavily in need of help through their forlorn faces and tattered housing and clothing.

Can the image be looked at in different ways? Explain how the image might be interpreted from two different socio-cultural perspectives? Which perspective is dominant?
 Although it is quite a stretch to find more than one perspective in this image, I tried: One interpretation could be that the females (gender-based) are in need of help because they are alone with young children who are in need of help (food, clothing, education). Adding to this is the cultural factor: this is in a slum in Dehli, India, one of the poorest nations (nationality).

Looking at the two older gentlemen in the background, a second perspective could be considered: men exploiting the women of their slum to make money to support their families. The men are not looking at the camera, and they seem to be trying to avoid being in the picture. One could interpret this as the women being in a servitude position, being forced into labor by the males in the area.

That said, I believe that the first perception is dominant: women who are in need and are producing whatever that they can to better their families’ circumstances.

How effective is this image as a visual message?
 I feel that this image is very effective in its goal of persuading customers to purchase the products of this village; as a mother, I have difficulty looking at the children in the image as they are dressed in tatters and live in deplorable conditions. I feel for the mothers who surely want something much better for their children.

4. Conduct a visual analysis:
How is the image composed? What is in the background? The foreground?
The image is composed with the main focus being on the women and children. In the background, one sees what appears to be a shanty in which the families appear to live. In the foreground, the women and children are the focus.

What are the most important visual elements in this image? How can you tell?
The most important visual elements in this image are the women and children; they are front and center in the image, and they are the focus of the organization’s mission.

How is color used?
The women are dressed in bright saris; this, to me, conveys an image of hope in what is an otherwise grey/dull picture. The children, the homes… the entire background is relatively neutral/dark which allows the focus to be on the women.

Can the image be looked at different ways?
I do not believe so. I believe that, no matter how much one tries to analyze the image, the main message here is the poverty of the women and children.

What meanings are conveyed by design choice?
 With a lack of border or text, the focus remains on the women and children; this conveys that those individuals are the center of attention for this image. Relative in size, the people in the image are the largest elements of the image; this reinforces their importance in the image.

The Three Brain Network

Three Brain Network Recognition Network Items I recognized: pictures, chairs, overcoat, people, door, clothing, hands, woman at door opening it, piano in right back, dining room table   Strategic Network How old are the people in this picture? There are both young and old. Some are middle age (30s to 40s) as well as children (5-7 years old) What historical period and geographical location do you think this picture represents? Why? Late 20s or early 30s... a city (New York?) How might the people be feeling in this picture? The lady looks apprehensive, as if the gentleman with the hat is about to give her bad news... the woman at the door is standing back, as she doesn't want to be part of it (not intrude).. the children are looking up and watching what's happening, as if trying to gauge the situation Affective Network What in particular strikes you about this picture? the way everyone is observing what the man is about to do as well as how the woman is hunched over (the one getting up from chair) as if in surprise Note something about yourself that might have led you to focus on these particular aspects: Perhaps that I have received bad news unexpectedly before, and we have had similar "unexpected visitors" Bottom of Form

Citation:

Create: Your Three Brain Networks: Tools & Activities: Teaching Every Student. (n.d.). Create: Your Three Brain Networks: Tools & Activities: Teaching Every Student. Retrieved June 17, 2014, from http://www.cast.org/teachingeverystudent/tools/studio.cfm?t_id=10&step=1

 

Weekly Reading #4

1.      Copy and paste a quote from the reading that causes you to have a strong reaction (agreement, disagreement, confusion...) and explain your reaction.

“In order to create an informed and literate citizenry, readers must be able to navigate, interpret, design, and interrogate the written, visual, and design elements of multimodal ensembles.”

This quote, from page 16, resonated with me, as it was a direct reflection of the teaching principles of the School Library Media program.  In addition to creating a love and desire to become life-long readers, librarians’ goals are to help students develop the ability to discern between different resources, assisting them in becoming active and creative locators, evaluators, and users of information from various media sources; these sources include varied media content (both digital media and print forms).  School library media specialists (SLMS or “librarians”) focus on developing literacy media skills to contribute to and enhance lifelong learning. 

In addition to these skills, the SLMS assists students in becoming both independent learners as well as learners as part of a group; developing a social responsibility, where students not only seek information from diverse sources but also respect the principle of equitable access to information (and the related intellectual property rights) is an important facet of the SLMS.  The SLMS supports collaborative learning as well the acknowledgement of each individual/group.

The reading echoed all of these facets of the SLMS’s role in education.

2. Why should educators care about multimodal texts?

One of the strongest arguments for educators caring about multimodal texts is that such texts (or “ensembles,” as the Serafini (2014) calls them) is that children, even before they begin to learn to walk and talk, are surrounded with visual images (via picturebooks, television, etc).  These images have the potential to greatly influence many decisions that our students make, and educators need to help them understand the power that such images and multimodal ensembles have on them.  Although strategies for making sense of written text are deeply embedded in a standard curriculum (e.g. predicting, summarizing), such strategies fall short in helping students develop and understanding of the ubiquitous multimodal ensembles that they encounter on a regular basis. 

As the text notes, having print-based decoding skills “will not be enough for the literate demands of our students’ future” (Serafini, 2014, p. 4).

3. How is your definition of literacy different or similar to the definition of literacy presented in the book? Or how did the reading change or expand your definition of literacy?

 
My definition of literacy was similar to what was presented in the book due to the scope of my School Library Media background; my concept as to the facets of literacy/media were aligned with what the author provided.  That said, I did find that the reading expanded my definition of literacy to encompass  additional multisensory elements that I had not fully considered prior to reading.  While I was aware of the need to look at sources within their context (e.g. what was happening at the time the source was created, purpose, social impact), the production of such multimodal sources is an idea that was expanded upon.  As a SLMS, my focus is to receive and evaluate; the text expanded the concept to include the outgoing communication of these texts as well.

4. How can visual literacy support the development of the kinds of reading and writing we want children to learn through schooling?

Visual literacy, as Serafini (2002) points out, is both “a social and cognitive process, not simply a discrete set of skills that are accumulated by individuals to apply as needed” (p. 23).  Students need to be flexible to interpret images and multimodal ensembles in their (the ensembles) proper contexts.  Visual literacy is about the process of generating interpretations; this allows the student to continually develop and practice skills sets and apply those skill sets across a myriad of modes (photographs, videos, diagrams, and the written word).  The development of these skills will support students literary development going forward into a future that has ever-developing technologies, thus providing a flexibility to adapt to evolving digital media.

 
5. Find an online resource that addresses issues of visual literacy in education link to it or embed it your blog posting and provide a brief explanation of how it relates to this week's reading. 

Visual Literacy

This video is a great compliment to this week’s reading. It notes that there are visual images surrounding us every day; in addition, it notes how visual literacy can be applied to every discipline.  The video goes on to explain how images affect our interpretation and our definitions of the images presented.

6. Find an images that relates to the ideas presented in this week's reading.

 

 

 

Citation

Library media content standards and objectives for West Virginia schools (2520.17). (n.d.). Retrieved June 12, 2014, from http://wvde.state.wv.us/policies/p2520.17.pdf

Serafini, F. (2014). Reading the visual: an introduction to teaching multimodal literacy. New York: Teachers Collage Press.

 

Image

“Literature lives: Literacy research hub.” (n.d.) Australian Catholic University Retrieved 2 June 2014, from http://www.acu.edu.au/about_acu/faculties,_institutes_and_centres/education_and_arts/schools/new_south_wales/projects/literacy_research_hub



Illuminated Text

 

 

Weekly Reading #3

1.  Copy and paste a quote from each reading that causes you to have a strong reaction (agreement, disagreement, confusion...) and explain your reaction:

 "I think that underlying this interest in assessment is the recognition of its importance in connecting new media assignments to broader curricular goals.  As with print assignments, when we grade students' work we are assessing their success in achieving goals that we value and that, ideally, are made explicit to our students. How we evaluate and grade student work is - or should be - connected to everything else in the course, from the assignments themselves to the readings, the class activities, and the software we use.."

 After reading this article about the issues involving the assessment of writing in the new media, the issue of how to update assessments to accurately reflect the cohesive nature of a multimodal text into an accurate evaluation became clear.  Previous evaluation methods of work, based in the pre-digital media age, applies "traditional" assessment methods to new writing skills; this, obviously, will not provide an accurate reflection of the students' work, if educators don't develop their assessment methods to identify the new values that are emerging from the new media. 

 

Adapting familiar (read: standard/old) methods to the new media assignments is needed; while it's not beneficial to throw out the entire base of current assessment, we do have to be aware of our own tendencies to revert back to the "familiar" of the pre-technology standards.  Given the myriad of technology available to students (websites, images, audio, etc.), it can be difficult to assess how well a project fits an assignment; to accommodate this, it is suggested that a more flexible evaluation method be in place to accommodate the varied nature of new media.

 

Educators need to develop updated rubrics to include elements that assess how the new media enhances or contributes to the development of the projects (e.g. how does a certain color and/or transition further a thought or concept). 

 

 

2.  Have you ever asked students to create a multimodal text? Have you ever created a multimodal text for a school-related assignment?  Describe the assignment.  What were the learning goals?  How was it assessed?  Do you feel that the assignment improved you or your students' comprehension of the content? Why? Why not?

 

I have had elementary students (5th grade) create a multimodal text in a group assignment where they researched a place that they would want to go for vacation.  After researching (in both "traditional" books as well as online), I had them make short PowerPoint presentation to present to their peers.  The learning goals in this project included introduction to how to locate and evaluate information as well as how to incorporate that information into a cohesive, logical format.  At this learning level, the assessment was focused more on participation and location/evaluation of information; however, the project gave me the opportunity to see the positive effect that new media had on my students' enthusiasm, as they were able to personalize the projects with embellishments.  I would say that it developed my students' comprehension as it activated a deeper level of understanding about the topics; not only were they able to read the information, they were also able to "experience" the data with images and with audio, allowing for multi-level learning.  It also seemed to deepen the sense of ownership of the projects.

 

I have also created multimodal texts for my own school-related assignments.  During my MAT program, I had the opportunity to create a presentation of data in my Action Research Project, which was the final project of the program.  The evaluation of my ARP presentation was peer-based, and it included feedback with regard to both content and digital elements.  

 

Another multimodal project that I recently completed was entitled "Equestrianism" (for EDUC 6809). The learning goals for this project were to develop a topic of personal interest to include design (with minimal words - 5 or less - and with images) to develop our readers' understanding of that topic via new media.  The assessment of this project focused on the "readability" and graphics employed to enhance understanding.  I believe that the graphics that I utilized improved the comprehension of the content, as there were nuances of the topic (e.g. varied equestrian events, complicated field courses) that most people aren't familiar with.  In addition, I was able to include digital enhancements that personalized the project, allowing my audience to get to know me a bit better and allowing me to be more personally connected to my work (allowing for a deeper interest to develop in myself as well).  

 

 3.  METAPHOR:

 

" A metaphor is a  figure of speech that describes a subject by asserting that it is, on some point of comparison, the same as another otherwise unrelated object. It is, put simply a figure of speech that compares two unlike things without using like or as..." (Wikipedia, 2014)

 

 



 

This metaphor example employs a potato to stand in for a person on a couch;  this  substitution of two unrelated things allows the viewer to see that a person is laying like a potato on a couch... resulting in a "couch potato."   This is a pretty clever metaphor for a cable company (they are encouraging their customers to be "couch potatoes" and enjoy Comcast's services). 

 

4.   METONYMY:

 

"Metonymy is a figure of speech in which a thing or concept is called not by its own name but rather by the name of something associated in meaning with that thing or concept..." (Wikipedia, 2014)

 

 

 

"The Golden Arches" is an excellent example of metonymy.  The concept of metonymy is where one image/symbol/etc. is used to connote the meaning of the associated item. In this case, when a person sees the golden "M," the idea of McDonald's immediately comes to mind.   

 



5.  How does this reading help you think about the use of multimodal text to support writing and content area instruction in school?

 

There are many facets of the reading that I will employ with my classroom.  The ideas on how to use multimodal text to broaden and deepen student comprehension.  The readings also called to the forefront the need to develop assessment methods that take the diverse new media facets into account, as well as the caution to not fall into the trap of assigning a multimodal project yet reverting to merely assessing only the written portion of that project.  In addition, I appreciate the highlight of ways to use (and how *not* to use) project enhancements, how we must be aware of how each element enhances and contributes to the meaning of the project.

 

Week #3, Assignment #4 - Understanding Metonymy and Metaphor

• What is metaphor? A metaphor is a literary device in which one word is replacing another. The words “like” and “as.”  A metaphor has its roots in comparison; it is an expression that shows a similarity between two things on some aspects where one word is substituted for an aspect of another.  An example of this from the reading is a perfume advertisement.  An image is connected to a scent which “gives shape to a fantasy world…”  In one particular case, the “sexy allure” of an image is reflected to the musky scent of a certain perfume; this connects the two within the mind of the consumer.

• What is metonymy? A metonymy is based upon the association of a word with a concept;  a single characteristic (word, phrase, image, etc.) is used to represent a complex concept, denoting one of its properties or something associated with that concept.  An example given in the readings is of the image of the White House signifying the entire executive branch of the U.S. government; it is the evocation of a part for the whole.

• In my original Multimodal Presentation, I did not include an example of a metaphor; this is something that I addressed in my revised presentation; however, with regard to metonymy, I used several images to evoke a familiarity. For example, with regard to the concept of “sports,” I included an images that contained various pieces of sports equipment; I wanted to evoke the familiarity of well-known sports from the beginning of my presentation. Another instance of metonymy that I included is with regard to the “Competition” slide; the vision of a rider, in front of an audience, wearing a medal on her neck evokes the idea of her having won a competition.  I feel that that was another success application of the literary device of metonymy.  One example that may not have been the best use of metonymy was the image for “rules.”  I included a dressage course; however, the image may have not clearly show what rules were needed for successfully completing the riding course.

Multimodal Presentation... Revised!!!

Mutlimodal Presentation - Revised

And... as a video: