scholarly journals Communicating mathematics through images: A multimodal study of Year One students’ meaning-making when working with mathematics textbooks

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Malin Norberg
Keyword(s):  
Meaning Making ◽  
Mathematics Textbooks ◽  
Mathematical Symbols

This article focuses on how Swedish Year One students (age 7–8) make meaning when working with images in mathematics textbooks. Images include textbook images, but also students’ self-drawn images used as support for calculation. The focus was (1) what the images in the exercises were designed to offer (the designed affordance), and (2) what the students discovered when working with them. The data material consisted of video transcripts of 18 students working with subtraction exercises from mathematics textbooks. The results showed that the students sometimes discovered the designed affordance and sometimes did not. The students who discovered the designed affordance sometimes used the image when performing the calculations, while others did not. Some students expressed that images in mathematics textbooks are for those who find mathematics difficult, and that completing exercises without using the images was desired. The students’ approaches to images were discussed in two specific cases: First, the students’ desire to use mathematical symbols rather than images may lead to students not discovering the mathematics content that the exercise is designed to offer. Second, the use of mathematical symbols rather than images may lead to students not discovering themselves as mathematical individuals.

scholarly journals Multimodaalisuus 1. ja 4. luokan suomalaisissa matematiikan oppikirjoissa

2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Daranee Lehtonen
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Meaning Making ◽  
Research Data ◽  
Symbolic Language ◽  
Mathematics Textbooks ◽  
Text Interpretation ◽  
Text Production ◽  
Semiotic Resources ◽  
Multimodal Text ◽  
Research Findings

Tässä tutkimuksessa tarkasteltiin 1. ja 4. luokan matematiikan oppikirjojen multimodaalista tekstiympäristöä eli moninaisten semioottisten resurssien käyttöä, joka on keskeistä matematiikan oppimisessa. Tavoitteena oli selvittää, 1) millaisia semioottisia resursseja oppikirjoissa on sekä luettavaksi annettuna (ts. tekstien tulkinnassa) että tehtäviksi annettuna (ts. tehtävien tekstien tuottamisessa), 2) miten niitä hyödynnetään merkitysten luomisessa ja 3) kuinka monipuolisesti semioottisia resursseja hyödynnetään oppikirjoissa. Tutkimuksen lähestymistapana on monimenetelmä (mixed-methods). Aluksi tarkastelin aineistojen diskurssia yleisellä tasolla soveltaen metafunktiota ja aikaisempia tutkimuksia. Sen jälkeen erittelin aineiston sisältöjä määrällisesti: onko kyseessä tekstien tulkinta vai tuottaminen ja mitä semioottisia resursseja käytetään. Lopuksi tarkastelin eriteltyjen aineistojen diskurssia. Tutkimustulokset osoittavat, että multimodaalisuuden näkökulmasta monipuolisia tekstiympäristöjä huomioidaan hyvin vähän tutkituissa oppikirjoissa. Matematiikan symbolikieli on selkeästi dominoiva erityisesti tekstien tuottamisessa. Kaikissa oppikirjoissa erilaisia semioottisia resursseja hyödynnetään enimmäkseen vain oppilaan luku- ja laskutaitojen perusteella sekä matematiikan opetettavien sisältöalueiden kannalta. Oppilaan monilukutaidon kannalta matematiikan oppikirjojen tekstiympäristö voisi olla monipuolisempi: oppilaalle voitaisiin tarjota enemmän multimodaalista luettavaa ja tuotettavaa. In English This study investigated first- and fourth-grade mathematics textbooks’ multimodal text environment. It aimed to discover 1) what semiotic resources are utilised for interpreting and producing texts, 2) how they are used for meaning-making and 3) how diversely. The inquiry strategy was mixed-methods. First, I analysed discourse of the research data generally using metafunction and previous research. Then, I quantified each semiotic resource’s distribution in terms of text interpretation and production and types of semiotic resources. Finally, I analysed discourse of each quantified data. Research findings demonstrate that from a multimodal perspective, diverse textual environment is barely paid attention to. The symbolic language is dominant, especially to text production. In all textbooks, semiotic resources are used mainly on the basis of student’s literacy and numeracy and to-be-leant mathematics contents. In favour of a student’s multiliteracies, mathematics textbooks’ text environment should be more diverse: offer more multimodal text interpretation and production. FULL TEXT IN FINNISH.

Predicting Post-Trauma Quality of Life: Meaning-Making Trumps Medical Reality

2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ed De St. Aubin ◽  
Abbey Valvano ◽  
Terri Deroon-Cassini ◽  
Jim Hastings ◽  
Patricia Horn
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Meaning Making ◽  
Life Meaning
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