Figure 1
Intervention procedure.
Figure 2
Facsimiles of multimodal texts, classroom intervention 1.
Figure 3
Facsimiles of multimodal texts, classroom intervention 2.
Table 1
Agreement and complementary assessment, classroom intervention 1.
| TITLE OF POSTER | AGREEMENT | COMPLEMENTARY ASSESSMENT |
|---|---|---|
| A) Warning! Save the earth now! | Combinations of pointed written statements and visuals (images, colour, symbols) create a powerful effect. A cause-effect relation is achieved by depicting natural disasters followed by images of injured animals. | P: Polar bear is a good representative of precarious animals. T/R: Depicted animal making eye contact places a demand on the viewer. P: Mark Twain citation is a reminder that you can do nothing about the weather, but you can do something about the climate. T/R: Mark Twain citation is an example of creative transformation of semiotic resources. |
| B) We are conducting a mass extinction! | The black background and statistics underscore the seriousness of the message. Aesthetically pleasing images and layout makes the text attractive. | P: Depicted animals are typical representatives of precarious species. P: Images foreground the animals as valuable, accentuated by their beauty and the reminder that they may not last for long. T/R: Animal making eye contact places a demand. T/R: Missing references to statistics. |
| C) Why we should raise the legal age for tobacco and drinking to 21. | The message is at times incoherent. Claims in the text are unsupported. | P: Social situation in the car gives an attractive impression. P: Difficult to identify with depicted older individuals and images of arms/hands. Image of lungs: removed from everyday visual experience. |
| D) Children should learn how to use a PC in elementary school. | P: Too much written text is unappealing. P: Dark colour gives a sombre effect. T/R: The message is focused and coherent. | |
| E) Homeschool – better learning and more focus at home! | Clear and coherent message. | P: Images give immediate information about the content. P: The headline contains too much. P: Radioactivity symbol makes the danger real. T/R: Exact references are given. T/R: Depicted individuals do not make eye contact with the viewer: ‘offer’ instead of ‘demand’. |
| F) Hiking is man’s best medicine. | P: People having fun together is attractive. T/R: Most depicted people are viewed from behind, identification difficult. T/R: Black as background colour brings darkness, unfortunate in view of the topic. | |
| G) Travel the world | Aesthetically pleasing image and font. Written texts describe positive aspects of travelling, but without support or documentation. | P: The prospect of being close to an elephant in idyllic, exotic surroundings appeals to emotions. P: The written text contains difficult words. |
[i] ‘T/R’ = Teacher/researcher team; ‘P’ = Peer group.
Table 2
Agreement and complementary assessment, classroom intervention 2.
| TITLE OF POSTER | AGREEMENT | COMPLEMENTARY ASSESSMENT |
|---|---|---|
| H) Reduce the limit agefor drivers’ licence to 16 | Headline, images, and captions do not converge into a focused message. No support for written statements. | P: Should have written their own text instead of using Internet captions for the images. P: Image of passenger using phone fails to support the argument. |
| I) Fuck exam! | Overall focused message. Good connection between writing and visuals. | T/R: Style appealing to a young target group. P: Phone signals the student’s obligation to socialise with friends. T/R: Fist signals a threat. P: Interpretations of fist: a ‘knuckle bump’ of encouragement or a threat. T/R: Pink and yellow highlight the headline. P: Facial expression and posture of depicted student make the stress real. P: The message is easy to understand but needs more written text to build argument better. |
| J) 16 years old should be able to drive | The use of the ‘Drive through’ sign is creative. | T/R: Relations between visuals and writing function adequately, but communicative function of colours and symbols not always clear. T/R: Slight overload of communication, demanding for the reader. P: Aesthetic value makes the text convincing. P: Good organising conveys the message effectively. P: Photo of drinkers older than 16 works well with statement that 16-year-olds drink less. P: Photo of motorbike illustrates illogical point that cars have a higher age limit than motorbikes. |
| K) Wear a mask(video) | The video stages relevant and realistic situation, easy for youths to identify. Focus on the mobile phone underscores its importance for young people. | P: Convincing connection between wearing a mask and the opportunity to go to a party. P: Panes of written text break the film up in a pleasant way and create suspense. T/R: Panes of written text form transitions and have a cohesive function. P: At times difficult to hear due to low sound quality. |
| L) Reduce the age limit for driver’s licence to 16it can be very dangerous. | Clear message, tight relations between visuals and writing. | P: Use of traffic light colours is creative, attractive and underscores the topic. T/R: The affordances of font and size could have been used better. P: Causal relationship between accidents and reasons for accidents well expressed. T/R: Causal relationship unclear due to reversed sequence of images. P: Mixed views on the black background. P: Image of phone illustrates 16-year-olds’ immaturity. P: Grammatical errors disturb communication somewhat. |
[i] ‘T/R’ = Teacher/researcher team; ‘P’ = Peer group.
Table 3
Emerging themes from the assessment rounds.
| ASSESSMENT CRITERIA | PEERS | TEACHER/RESEARCHER TEAM | DIMENSION |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coherence and clarity | Ease of understanding | Interaction | |
| Coherence and clarity | Support of statements | Support of statements | Interaction |
| Coherence and clarity | Purposeful use of layout, font, and colour | Purposeful use of layout, font, and colour | Composition |
| Relation between modes | Language-visuals connection | Language-visuals connection | Composition |
| Originality and creativity | Aesthetic qualities | Composition | |
| Originality and creativity | Making the topic real | Making the topic real | Representation and interaction |
| Originality and creativity | Potential for identification | Enactment of offer/demand | Interaction |