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A Multimodal Social Semiotics Perspective on Teaching and Learning Using Biomedical Visualisations

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Biomedical Visualisation

Part of the book series: Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology ((AEMB,volume 1388))

Abstract

Over recent years, there has been an explosion of digital technologies and infrastructure, and many biomedical education contexts have taken advantage of these new tools and platforms for teaching and learning visualisation practices. However, there are uncertainties, concerns, and debates in the literature, regarding the impact of digital technology on biomedical visualisation, and education more broadly. In this discussion paper, a multimodal social semiotics perspective is applied to examining visual representations, and the visual language we use to make meaning with these representations, in four different ways. Firstly, in terms of the function, role, and positionality of visual representations within the biomedical sciences. Secondly, within the context of a disciplinary Discourse, wherein visual language functions as just one of many socially specific languages, or modes, such as the written, verbal, and symbolic modes, and through which we animate the discourse and make disciplinary meaning. Thirdly, consideration is given to the meaning-making affordances and limitations of biomedical visualisation practices, affirming that no single mode or media is superior and that multimodal integration is a necessity. Finally, there is a discussion of the approaches to teaching and learning for the acquisition of a disciplinary Discourse, which highlights a need to focus on explicating the hidden curriculum. This discussion presents a perspective that offers some valuable insights into the uncertainties expressed in the literature and empowers educators with some productive pedagogical strategies.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    The phrase ‘visual representations’ is used to distinguish between visualisations as a noun (which refers to the visual representations that we see and interact with in the external world around), and visualisation as a verb (the process of constructing an internal or mental representation). The focus of this chapter is on the former.

  2. 2.

    Affordances refer to the meaning-making possibilities or potentials of something, or put another way, the possibilities and potentials of ‘…what can be ‘said’ or ‘done’…’ with a thing (Kress and Van Leeuwen 2006, p. 123)

  3. 3.

    These terms will be defined in subsequent sections.

  4. 4.

    Discourse (distinguished by use of an uppercase ‘D’) which refers to a socio-cultural community is not to be confused with discourse (lowercase d), which refers to a connected length of language.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Academic Development Programme, Centre for Higher Education Development, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa

    Natashia Muna

  2. Department of Health Sciences Education, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa

    Natashia Muna

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  1. Natashia Muna
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Correspondence to Natashia Muna .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Human Biology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa

    Leonard Shapiro

  2. School of Medicine, Dentistry and Nursing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK

    Paul M. Rea

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Muna, N. (2022). A Multimodal Social Semiotics Perspective on Teaching and Learning Using Biomedical Visualisations. In: Shapiro, L., Rea, P.M. (eds) Biomedical Visualisation . Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, vol 1388. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-10889-1_1

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