Multimodal semiotics in higher education: meaning-making in the study of biology

Abstract

This qualitative study examines the semiotic meanings communicated through multiple representations in the teaching of an advanced undergraduate course in biology. Scientific discourse is intrinsically multimodal in nature; in other words, science is discussed and researched using multiple modes that convey meaning (Lemke, 1998). Therefore, to understand and communicate scientific concepts, students must navigate different modes of communication such as speech, writing, images, and discipline-specific symbols, which in the sociolinguistic context of Puerto Rico tend to co-occur with Spanish and English. This research used a case study design influenced by multimodal ethnographic research methods to identify and analyze the modes used by a professor in an undergraduate course in biology in Puerto Rico. Data were collected through video-recorded field observations, course-related documents (such as the syllabus and the PowerPoint presentations used in class), interviews with the professor, and a focus group with the students. The data were coded inductively and deductively using Jaipal’s (2009) extension of Lemke’s (1998) semiotic function framework (i.e., presentational, organizational, orientational, and epistemological functions). This framework served to clarify the dynamic of the course lessons and the role of different modes in the course. This research revealed that multiple modes were used in the teaching of the course. However, it also revealed that while the course could be described as multimodal, there was no direct instruction of the modes used to guide students’ interpretation of the representations and that a banking model of education was prevalent throughout the classes observed. A conclusion drawn from these findings is that the use and presence of multiple modes of representation alone is not enough to develop students’ understanding and interpretation of these representations. Pedagogical implications of a multimodal approach to learning are discussed as well as suggestions for further research.