The aim of this compilation thesis is to understand how technology for visual storytelling can be shaped and used in relation to social science education in primary school, but also how social dimensions, technical and other matters create emerging learning conditions in such an educational setting. The visual storytelling technology introduced and used in the study is ‘the Statistics eXplorer platform, a geovisual analytics. The choice of theoretical perspectives to inform and guide the study is a socio-cultural view of human action, but also actor network theory is used to take account also of activities of technology and other matters. The study builds on three empirical materials that generate data from 16 social science teachers, and 126 students from five social science classrooms, in three Swedish primary schools. It contains field notes from the introduction of the technology; focusgroup interviews with teachers; think-aloud interviews with students and two kinds of video recordings from the classrooms (with an ordinary video camera and with software that capture activities at the computer screen, students’ activities and the audio as well). The analysis shows that the visual storytelling technology is shaped in relevant ways for social science teachers. The analysis also illustrates that the visual educational material are usable for primary school students in their social science education. They illustrate further how teachers, students, technology, information, tasks, data types, etc. together and in in close relation create highly complex learning conditions. The technology can therefore be seen as appropriate for the educational practice, but the complexity together with students’ apprehension of how to announce knowledge distribute severe problem spaces in the learning activities. The technology can therefore be assumed as a catalyst for educational change, but to achieve its potentials, reflections on didactic design and knowledge formation is requested to support the quality of students’ knowledge in relation to visual analysis. / Syftet i denna avhandling är, att förstå hur teknik för visual storytelling kan vara utformad och användas i relation till samhällsorienterande undervisning i grundskolan (årskurs 4 – 6), men också hur sociala dimensioner, tekniska och andra faktorer skapar villkor för lärande i ett sådant undervisningssammanhang. I studien introduceras datavisualiseringsteknik för visual storytelling: ‘the Statistics eXplorer platform’, ett geovisual analytics. Den teoretiska referensramen har sin grund i ett social konstruktionistiskt synsätt Ett socio-kulturellt perspektiv används för att analysera social aktivitet, men även aktörnätverks teori används för att analysera både sociala och materiella aktörer. Avhandlingen bygger på tre empiriska material som genereras med hjälp av 16 lärare i samhällsorienterande ämnen, och 126 elever tillhörande fem olika klassrum i tre olika svenska grundskolor. Materialet innehåller: fältanteckningar ifrån introduktion av tekniken, fokusgrupps-intervjuer med lärare, ‘tänka högt’-intervjuer med elever och två sorters videoinspelningar ifrån klassrum (dels med vanlig videokamera och dels med mjukvara som spelar in aktiviteter på datorskärmen och elevernas aktiviteter vid datorn, liksom ljudet). Analysen visar hur lärare, elever, teknik, information, uppgifter, data-typer, etc. tillsammans, i nära samarbete i de studerade klassrummen, skapar mycket komplexa villkor för lärande. De läraktiviteter som uppstår i klassrummen där teknik för visuell analys inkluderas, erbjuder elever support att: hantera stora datamängder, bli delaktiga i olika läraktiviteter och uppnå olika utbildningsmål, men även andra sorters elevrelaterade mål. Därför kan tekniken sägas vara relevant för denna sorts undervisning. Vidare visar analysen hur komplexiteten tillsammans med elevernas uppfattningar av hur kunskap skall visas, skapar påtagliga ‘problem spaces’ i läraktiviteterna. Lärandevillkoren kan därför förstås som en klassrumspraktik som inte fullt ut överensstämmer med den introducerade teknikens erbjudanden för visuell analys. Därför efterfrågas en förändrad syn på didaktisk design och elevers kunskapsformering, vilket blir betydelsefullt för kunskapens kvalitet i förhållande till visuell analys.

The Unwantables is a creative project that has evolved from my lifelong interest in and relationship with visual stories. To me the most compelling aspect of visual storytelling is "imagination". The author possesses the ability to create new worlds, interesting characters, and situations that can have the potential to communicate about any topic. My project explores visual narrative as a communication tool to explain the role of imagination in my life.

A presente pesquisa investiga como os elementos visuais ao dispor dos cineastas podem contribuir para a representação de estados alterados de percepção no cinema, de modo a ampliar a discussão sobre a expressividade do trabalho de direção de fotografia. Por meio da análise e interpretação de três filmes brasileiros que apresentam personagens fora de si e construções visuais contundentes - Estorvo (2000), de Ruy Guerra, Filme de Amor (2003), de Júlio Bressane e A Concepção (2005), de José Eduardo Belmonte -, a pesquisa discute de que maneira as características da imagem podem contribuir para a criação de pontos de vista, atmosferas e sentidos, que permitem a apreensão do filme para além de sua compreensão intelectual. Partindo do reconhecimento da ligação entre narrador e personagens, a análise se volta à força expressiva das imagens usadas ao longo dos filmes, tomando como referência reflexões sobre o expressionismo na pintura e no cinema. Essa discussão serve de base para a identificação de um imaginário sobre os estados alterados de percepção e suas relações com a sociedade presente na cinematografia brasileira dos anos 2000. / The present research investigates how the visual elements available to the filmmakers can contribute to the representation of altered states of perception in the cinema, in order to broaden the discussion about the expressiveness of the cinematography work. Through the analysis and interpretation of three Brazilian films that present characters out of their minds and rich visual constructions - Estorvo (2000), by Ruy Guerra, Filme de Amor (2003), by Júlio Bressane and A Concepção (2005), by José Eduardo Belmonte -, the research discusses how the characteristics of image can contribute to the creation of points of view, moods and senses, which in turn make possible the apprehension of the film beyond its intellectual understanding. Acknowledging the connection between narrator and characters, the analysis focus on the expressive force of the images used throughout the films, taking as reference reflections on Expressionism in painting and in cinema. This discussion serves as basis for the identification of a position regarding altered states of perception and their relations with society in Brazilian cinematography of the 2000s.

Master of Landscape Architecture / Department of Landscape Architecture/Regional and Community Planning / Blake Belanger / In recent decades, traditional methods of oil and gas extraction in the United States have been fortified by hydraulic fracturing, or fracking. The process of fracking involves injecting water, aggregates, and chemicals into the earth to rupture rock that is trapping oil and gas. This process has unlocked access to once unobtainable reserves, and as a result, U.S. oil and gas production has continued to increase despite recurring forecasts that supplies would peak. While increased production has strengthened some sectors in the U.S. economy, it has also renewed a reliance on non-renewable energy, compromised the well-being of communities, and poses serious environmental threat. While research into the process of hydraulic fracturing and its effects are common, little discussion has been generated regarding the broader impacts of the systems required to construct, supply, and maintain fracking operations. The processes of hydraulic fracturing contain a dense array of components that effect both the present and future state of communities, environments, and economies. As energy demands grow and resources deplete, these millions of facilities will demarcate the wicked problems of a post-oil and gas future and reveal a dense system of derelict infrastructure and underutilized lands. This report presents the Fracklands. Fracklands are a comprehensive telling of the landscapes of hydraulic fracturing. They offer insight into what a dynamic and complex system of modern oil and gas extraction infrastructure looks like. After first defining fracking and discussing current practices and policies as grounds, I present a classification framework for defining the Fracklands. Organized by four approaches – Systems, Typologies, Trends and Futures – this Framework utilizes a set of descriptive methods conducted in three U.S. regions to present and discuss the Fracklands. Results reveal a more complete picture of fracking’s effects on the American landscape today, while giving hints of what the Fracklands will present in the future. The Fracklands are a little understood system of components and processes that profoundly affect land, people, place, and society. By presenting the Fracklands framework in this report, I aspire that planners, designers, and decision-makers will have a clear outline for better understanding the nature of this wicked problem. As a point of departure, I propose three unique design-based alternatives to address the future of the Fracklands and dilemmas yet materialized. With the Fracklands revealed, footholds are set for a methodology to be adapted and used in future study for understanding the ever-changing landscape of hydraulic fracturing.

Detta kandidatarbetet handlar om visuella stilar och utseende i spelmiljö och hur detta kan påverka narrativet i ett spel. För att undersöka vår frågeställning har vi tittat på hur narrativ förmedlas i text, film och reklam, och hur samma metoder kan tillämpas i för att berätta med hjälp av spelmiljö. Vi har sedan testat dessa tillvägagångssätt genom att skapa ett digitalt fantasyspel som är fokuserat på just narrativ. Metoder som vi har använt oss av är Kanban för dess struktur i en produktionsmiljö, Matter Matters och Agentiell Realism för den vikten som de lägger på materialen och objekten som finns spelet och Moodboard för att till en början visualisera en projektide i sin helhet och senare att ta inspiration från. Vår designprocess var ett långt prövande på vår idé och konceptet på hur spelet skulle se ut. Vi utförde vår idè tillsammans med två andra grupper med egna undersökningar och idèer och sammanställde projektet  på ett sätt som var tillfredsställande för oss alla. I diskussionsdelen tar vi upp frågeställningens utveckling och projektets potentiella framtid. / This Bachelor thesis is about visual styles and the appearance of the game environment and how this can affect the narrative of a game. To investigate our issue, we have examined how narrative is communicated in text, film and advertising, and how the same methods can be applied in order to tell using game environment. We then tested these approaches by creating a digital fantasy game focused on narrative. Methods that we have used are Kanban for its structure in a production environment, Matter Matters and Agent Realism for the importance they attach to the materials and objects within the game and Moodboard to initially visualize a project in its entirety and later to inspire the projekt further. Our design process was a trial of our idea and our concept of how the game should look. We conducted our idea together with two other groups with their own investigations and ideas and compiled the project in a way that was satisfactory to all of us. In the discussion section we discuss the development of the research question and the potential future of the project.

A presente pesquisa investiga como os elementos visuais ao dispor dos cineastas podem contribuir para a representação de estados alterados de percepção no cinema, de modo a ampliar a discussão sobre a expressividade do trabalho de direção de fotografia. Por meio da análise e interpretação de três filmes brasileiros que apresentam personagens fora de si e construções visuais contundentes - Estorvo (2000), de Ruy Guerra, Filme de Amor (2003), de Júlio Bressane e A Concepção (2005), de José Eduardo Belmonte -, a pesquisa discute de que maneira as características da imagem podem contribuir para a criação de pontos de vista, atmosferas e sentidos, que permitem a apreensão do filme para além de sua compreensão intelectual. Partindo do reconhecimento da ligação entre narrador e personagens, a análise se volta à força expressiva das imagens usadas ao longo dos filmes, tomando como referência reflexões sobre o expressionismo na pintura e no cinema. Essa discussão serve de base para a identificação de um imaginário sobre os estados alterados de percepção e suas relações com a sociedade presente na cinematografia brasileira dos anos 2000. / The present research investigates how the visual elements available to the filmmakers can contribute to the representation of altered states of perception in the cinema, in order to broaden the discussion about the expressiveness of the cinematography work. Through the analysis and interpretation of three Brazilian films that present characters out of their minds and rich visual constructions - Estorvo (2000), by Ruy Guerra, Filme de Amor (2003), by Júlio Bressane and A Concepção (2005), by José Eduardo Belmonte -, the research discusses how the characteristics of image can contribute to the creation of points of view, moods and senses, which in turn make possible the apprehension of the film beyond its intellectual understanding. Acknowledging the connection between narrator and characters, the analysis focus on the expressive force of the images used throughout the films, taking as reference reflections on Expressionism in painting and in cinema. This discussion serves as basis for the identification of a position regarding altered states of perception and their relations with society in Brazilian cinematography of the 2000s.

This scientific paper aims to study how one can create and use digital art through criticaldesign as design perspective. The goal with our digital art is to draw attention to a socialproblem in society. In this case, we are focusing on the darker side of the advertising videosof gambling activities. The digital art is created in the form of surrealistic imagemanipulation that are inspired by photographers and artists like Erik Johansson. The articlewill research and analyse gambling advertising and problematize this subject to thenillustrate a design from a critical, dark, humorous and artistic perspective.The topics that the article will go through will be the said art style, and the problems withgambling and it ́s advertising, but also takes a closer look at storytelling techniques likevisual storytelling and image communication. The design research is inspired from criticaldesign, but also practise-based research, and through these perspectives the article willdescribe the design methods and analysis that's been done and what outcome of it has led upto. The surrealistic image manipulation is a practical and visual result that was created anddeveloped during this scientific article. / Den här vetenskapliga artikeln syftar till att undersöka hur man kan skapa och användadigital konst framtaget med critical design som designperspektiv. Syftet med den digitalakonsten är att belysa och peka på ett socialt problem i samhället, där vi har valt att titta påbaksidan av spelreklam. Den digitala konsten är skapad i form av surrealistiskbildmanipulation, inspirerad av fotografer och konstnärer såsom Erik Johansson. Artikelnkommer att undersöka spelreklamen, och problematisera detta ämne för att sedan illustreraen gestaltning från en kritisk, mörk, humoristisk och konstnärligt perspektiv.Ämnen som artikeln går igenom kommer vara den nämnda konststilen, samt problematikenkring spel- och spelreklam men kommer även att titta närmare på bildberättande medelsåsom visual storytelling och bildkommunikation. Utöver critical design tar undersökningenäven inspiration från practise-based research, och genom dessa designperspektiv kommerartikeln beskriva de designmetoder och bildanalyser som utförts, och vad de har lett till.Den surrealistiska bildmanipulationen är ett praktiskt och visuellt resultat som skapats ochutvecklats genom den vetenskapliga artikelns gång.Nyckelord:bildberättande, critical design, design, digital konst, marknadsföring, kommunikation,medieteknik, spel- och spelreklam.

Home Sweet Home is a short horror film that tells the story of Gavin and his encounters with supernatural energies after he moves to a new room. In the end, the story reveals that his roommate is the initiator. The movie draws inspiration from a variety of classic horror films, with an emphasis on those that are set in homes and bedrooms. Home is usually considered the safest place, but when this familiar place is haunted, it tortures us, and we have nowhere to run. Taiwanese religious elements along with urban legends, are featured prominently in the video as a source of the terror. / Master of Fine Arts / Home Sweet Home is a short horror film produced by a group of Virginia Tech students. The film tells the story of Gavin following his encounters with the paranormal following his relocation to a new room. In the end, the story reveals that his roommate is the initiator. The film is inspired by many classic horror films with a concentration on films containing scenes in the bedroom and at home in particular, such as the Japanese movie" Ju On," the "A Nightmare on Elm Street" series, and "It Follows," etc. Home is usually considered the safest place, but when this familiar place is haunted, it tortures us, and there is nowhere we can flee. Taiwanese religious elements and urban legends are featured prominently in the video as a source of terror. Details in the film show Taiwanese's unique religious belief culture: a blend of Taoism, Buddhism, and some Hinduism and local beliefs.

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis investigates stop motion animation as a form of socially engaged visual storytelling. It aims to expand commonly held perceptions that associate animation with the mass media and entertainment industries by investigating three non-industry related contexts: the artist studio, the classroom and the community. In each respective context the coauthoring of stop motion animation was employed as a means to promote collaboration between artists, students and members of the public. This was intended to encourage participants to share their stories regardless of language differences, contrasting levels of academic development and diverse socio-cultural backgrounds. Thus, animation making provided a means of promoting inclusivity through active participation and visual communication. This process is perceived as valuable in a South African context where eleven official languages and a diversity of cultures and ethnicities tend to obstruct an integrated society. My fundamental argument is that animation can be used as a tool to facilitate the materialisation, dissemination and archiving of stories whilst promoting the creative agency of the storyteller. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie tesis ondersoek stop-aksie animasie as ‘n tipe van sosiaal-geaktiveerde visuele vertelkuns. Die studie is daarop gerig om algemene aannames oor animasie – wat animasie assosieer met die massamedia en die vermaaklikheidsindustrie – te verbreed deur drie nienywerheidsverbonde kontekste te ondersoek: die kunstenaar se ateljee, die klaskamer en die gemeenskap. In elk van die onderskeie kontekste word die gesamentlike skepping van die stop-aksie animasie gebruik as ‘n manier om samewerking tussen kunstenaars, studente en die algemene publiek te bevorder. Die doel is om deelnemers aan te moedig om hul stories te deel, ongeag taalverskille, verskillende vlakke van akademiese ontwikkeling, en diverse sosio-kulturele agtergronde. Daarom verskaf die skepping van animasie ‘n geleentheid om samewerking te bevorder deur aktiewe deelname en visuele kommunikasie. Die proses word veral in die Suid Afrikaanse konteks as waardevol beskou, waar elf amptelike tale, asook ‘n diversiteit van kulture en etniese groepe, dikwels die skep van ‘n geïntegreerde samelewing belemmer. My hoofargument is dat animasie met vrug gebruik kan word as ‘n metode om die skepping, disseminasie en argivering van stories te fasiliteer en terselfdertyd ook die kreatiewe rol van die storieverteller aan te moedig.

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