A social semiotic analysis of instructional images across academic disciplines. (February 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wilson, Amy Alexandra; Landon-Hays, Melanie
• Is Part Of: Visual communication. Volume 15:Number 1(2016:Feb.)
• Page Start: 3
• Page End: 31
• Publication Date: 2016-02
• Subjects: disciplinary literacy -- historical images -- instructional images -- literary images -- mathematical images -- scientific images -- social semiotics; Visual communication -- Periodicals; Popular culture -- Periodicals; Art and society -- Periodicals; 302.222
• DOI: 10.1177/1470357215609213
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1470-3572

Abstract

Framed in theories of social semiotics, this descriptive multiple case study examined the images used by six middle-school teachers during one school year as they each taught two different subject areas: earth science, language arts, mathematics, and/or social studies. Using Kress and Van Leeuwen's visual grammar to analyze these images, this study identified discipline-specific patterns in how 1, 132 images realized assumptions in regards to the ideational and interpersonal metafunctions of communication. A content analysis suggested discipline-specific differences in the presumed social distance between the content of the images and the students, as well as discipline-specific differences in assumptions about the subjectivity of knowledge. Instructional implications are suggested, such as encouraging students to critique the assumptions in images and selecting a wider array of image types in each discipline.