Mental models for scientific learning are often defined as, "cognitive tools situated between experiments and theories" (Duschl & Grandy, 2012). In learning, these cognitive tools are used to not only take in new information, but to help problem solve in new contexts. Nancy Nersessian (2008) describes a mental model as being [loosely] characterized as a representation of a system with interactive parts with representations of those interactions. Models can be qualitative, quantitative, and/or simulative (mental, physical, computational)" (p. 63). If conceptual parts used by the students in science education are inaccurate, then the resulting model will not be useful. Students in college general chemistry courses are presented with multiple abstract topics and often struggle to fit these parts into complete models. This is especially true for topics that are founded on quantum concepts, such as atomic structure and molecular bonding taught in college general chemistry. The objectives of this study were focused on how students use visual tools introduced during instruction to reason with atomic and molecular structure, what misconceptions may be associated with these visual tools, and how visual modeling skills may be taught to support students' use of visual tools for reasoning. The research questions for this study follow from Gilbert's (2008) theory that experts use multiple representations when reasoning and modeling a system, and Kozma and Russell's (2005) theory of representational competence levels. This study finds that as students developed greater command of their understanding of abstract quantum concepts, they spontaneously provided additional representations to describe their more sophisticated models of atomic and molecular structure during interviews. This suggests that when visual modeling with multiple representations is taught, along with the limitations of the representations, it can assist students in the development of models for reasoning about abstract topics such as atomic and molecular structure. There is further gain if students’ difficulties with these representations are targeted through the use additional instruction such as a workbook that requires the students to exercise their visual modeling skills.

Visual representations are frequently used in teaching as well as in social and science studiesin order to capture and explain complex and abstract phenomena. However, they can bechallenging, complex and difficult to understand. This study, which is carried out within theframework of a research project, aims to investigate how a visual representation can be usedin teaching in order to qualify elementary pupils’ comprehension about democracy, moreclosely by using a flowchart to describe the legislative process. Before this study wasconducted the research group analysed phenomenographically the conceptual understandingof a flowchart of the legislative process of students in the 5th, 8th and 10th grade andidentified the critical aspects of this phenomenon. The method chosen for this study wasorganizing and conducting a lesson based on those identified critical aspects of the flowchartof the legislative process. A pre- and post-test on it were written by the participants whoseresults have been analysed phenomenographically based on the outcome space of thephenomenographic analysis of the research group. The analysis of the pre- and post-testaimed to investigate the pupils’ conceptions of the phenomenon before and after the lessonwhich therefore indicated which of the two critical aspects were discerned during the lesson.Parts of the conducted lesson and discussions between the pupils were analysed, too. Thisanalysis intended to identify elements during the lesson where the critical aspects seemed tobe possible for the pupils to discern. The results of the study showed that although the lessondid not facilitate for the pupils to discern both critical aspects simultaneously, many of themqualified their conception of the phenomenon from before the lesson to after, by havingdiscerned one of the critical aspects. Thus, using visual representations by focusing ondiscerning critical aspects can facilitate a qualified comprehension/conception of complexphenomena.

The process of museum exhibit design includes a variety of activities, including collaboration on teams, consulting learning theories, following process models, brainstorming, performing evaluations, and using visuals. Although some articles mention these topics, very few provide specific details about these practices. This dissertation, which includes three articles, explores how design and visual communication occur in exhibit design. The first article examines how exhibit design teams function. The second article describes how they use visual representations to engage team members in ideation and concept development as they planned for new exhibits. This is based on the assumption that designers need to be actively engaged in the design process to truly be creative and develop innovative ideas. Building off the second article, the third article provides practical implications and examples for professionals in the field. These articles seek to add insight on the design process and use of visuals in museum exhibit design.

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This thesis explores the role and impact of leadership as a socially constructed and aesthetic phenomenon in tribal-dominated Bedouin Arabia. The concept of leadership is investigated in terms of its discursive and aesthetic dimensions across different geographical, historical, and intellectual settings by adopting and applying a Foucauldian perspective of interconnected concepts of power/knowledge, discourse, subjectivity, body symbolism and the power of gaze. The thesis draws on three related types of data: First, images to understand the leaders’ perspective. Second, interviews with artists to gain insights into the visual message and the creative process. Third, through semi-structured interviews with the audience to garner an understanding of how it perceives the message leaders send. This thesis contributes theoretically to ongoing research into the visual representation of leadership and to critical debates concerning Foucauldian perspectives on discourse, power, discipline and the body. This thesis concludes by recommending practical implications for rethinking leadership as something both aesthetic and mythical to consider the role of followership in the consumption of leadership-themed visual artworks and communication, and the growing global role and influence of social media in shaping leader-follower relations.

La siguiente investigación tuvo como propósito estudiar el rol de los códigos visuales analizando el caso de la novela gráfica peruana Selva misteriosa, la cual en un principio se presentó como una tira diaria. La hipótesis desarrollada se basa en que son los códigos visuales dotan de características específicas que ayudan a la identificación de estas representaciones gráficas como parte de la Amazonía peruana y, por ende, a la creación de una identidad propia. En cuanto al enfoque teórico de esta investigación, se realiza un aporte al conocimiento del diseño gráfico sobre la importancia y la contribución de los códigos visuales en la creación de las novelas gráficas, y el aporte que tienen en su desarrollo. Luego del análisis, se halló como principales resultados que el uso de códigos estereotipado principalmente en los personajes, además de ayudar a un fácil reconocimiento de estos como figuras nativas de la selva, puede llegar a convertirse en códigos asociativos. También se encontró que las representaciones de la selva suelen ser muy diversas esto se debe a que no existe un concepto único de la selva y sería ilógico buscar mostrarla de esta forma. / The purpose of the following research was to study the role of visual codes by analyzing the case of the Peruvian graphic novel Selva misteriosa, which was initially presented as a daily strip. The hypothesis developed is based on the visual codes that provide specific characteristics that help to identify these graphic representations as part of the Peruvian Amazon and, therefore, to create their own identity. Regarding the theoretical approach of this research, a contribution is made to the knowledge of graphic design on the importance and contribution of visual codes in the creation of graphic novels, and the contribution they have in their development. After the analysis, it was found as the main results that the use of stereotyped codes mainly in the characters, in addition to helping them to be easily recognized as native figures of the jungle, can become associative codes. It was also found that the representations of the jungle are usually very diverse, this is because there is no single concept of the jungle, and it would be illogical to show it in this way. / Trabajo de investigación

This thesis explores lower secondary students’ meaning-making of epigenetic visual representations within and between biological organization levels. Data obtained from five focus group discussions where students indicated and reasoned about eight epigenetic visual representations were explored. By analyzing students’ interactions with multiple visual representations, and the impact of linking and reasoning patterns on their meaning-making, the research contributes insights to the learning of epigenetics.  Epigenetics, which is gaining rapid importance in emerging biology curricula, is communicated at different biological organization levels, and serves as the meaning-making context explored in the thesis. A compelling biology didactics context, where students are required to reason with multiple representations depicted within and between organizational levels to make meaning about epigenetics. The thesis uncovers three primary findings. First, four linking patterns in students’ meaning-making across and between organizational levels using various visual representations are illuminated. Second, five visual characteristics that influence students’ linking within and between levels were discerned. Third, students’ meaning-making processes were observed to emerge through four phases, which involved form and function attributes of the visual representations, and the transfer of scientific ideas across representations. / <p>Article 1 published in thesis as manuscript, now published.</p>

I denna studie undersöker vi matematiklärares olika synsätt utifrån deras erfarenheter kring visuella representationer och aspekter av bråk. Lärare intervjuades om en uppsättning problem som deras elever fick lösa, vilka var de metoderna som användes. Vi undersöker därav även om det finns några samband mellan klassresultaten och matematiklärarnas olika synsätt. Tre olika teorier användes som ramverk vid både metodövervägandet och analysen; Fyra utvecklingsstadier vid inlärning med representationer, fem aspekter av bråk och pedagogical content knowledge. Resultaten visar att det finns likheter och skillnader i deltagande lärares synsätt. Några likheter var att alla deltagande lärare finner visuella representationer att vara ett användbart hjälpmedel vid utveckling av elevers förståelse samt att de alla uttrycker en större bekantskap med aspekten del-helhet jämfört med de övriga aspekterna. Några skillnader mellan lärarnas synsätt var att de har olika inställningar till huruvida bråk uppfattas som svårt för eleverna men också i vilken utsträckning visuella representationer ska användas i årskurs 9. Vid analys av klassresultaten finner vi några samband där eleverna har svårare för uppgifter med areamodeller som inte är indelade i lika stora delar, uppgifter med tallinjer och uppgifter där eleverna ska uttrycka sig med ord. Lärarnas kommentarer till detta är att eleverna saknar förståelse för den matematik som ska användas och att eleverna på så sätt använder en felaktig metod. Lärarna kommenterar även att vissa uppgifter i studien kräver en större begreppsförståelse vilket påverkar elevernas resultat på uppgifterna. / In this study we examine mathematics teacher’s verity in their reasoning and their different perspectives about visual representations and sub-constructs of fractions. Teachers were interviewed about task that their students solved, which were the methods used in this study. Therefor we also examine if there are any correlations between the teacher’s different perspectives of visual representations and the classes results on fraction tasks. The study was based on three theoretical frameworks; Four stages through the use of representations, five sub-constructs of fraction and pedagogical content knowledge. The methodological consideration and analysis were based on these theories. The result showed that there were some similarities and differences in the teacher’s reasoning. A similarity was that all participated teachers found visual representations as a helpful tool when teaching fractions for student’s conceptual understanding. Another similarity was that all teachers were more familiar with the part-whole sub-construct than the other subconstructs of fraction. Some differences in the teacher’s reasoning were if they found fraction difficult or not for the students and in which extent visual representation should be used in the ninth grade. When the class results were analyzed some connections were found. Student have difficulties with tasks where area models are not equaled partitioned, with tasks related to number lines and to tasks were the students must change from a visual to a textual representation. According to the teachers comments these difficulties accurse due to that the students lacks a curtain mathematical understanding that is required when solving these tasks. This leads to the use of an inaccurate method. The teacher’s also comments that some tasks in this study requires a higher conceptual understanding which affects the classes’ results.

Cette recherche s’intéresse à l’efficacité des registres communicationnels actuels dans une perspective de mobilisation des consommateurs dans la sobriété carbone. Afin d’examiner l’efficacité de ces registres, quatre études ont été menées, i.e. une « méthode-Q » et trois expérimentations. Les deux premières études visent à explorer le rôle des représentations visuelles (i.e. images) et linguistiques (i.e. contenus sémantiques) utilisées pour désigner le changement climatique dans la transmission des préoccupations, des perceptions et des intentions envers la décarbonisation. La troisième étude cherche à expliquer l’effet de l’exploitation de la saillance de mortalité dans ces registres (i.e., anxiogènes vs. informatives) sur les choix de consommation pro-environnementaux (vs. pro-matérialistes). La dernière étude cherche à confirmer qu’une saillance de mortalité, quel que soit son origine (e.g. le changement climatique ou les attaques terroristes) est générateur en majorité des choix de consommation pro-matérialistes (vs. pro-environnementaux). En s’appuyant sur les résultats des ces études, nous mettons en lumière, tout d’abord, la nécessité de modifier ces registres afin de réduire leurs effets négatifs et/ou contreproductifs. Ensuite, la nécessité d’adopter une stratégie de segmentation de la communication selon la vision culturelle du monde dominante des individus pour les engager dans une lutte effective contre le changement climatique. / This research focuses on the effectiveness of climate change communications in order to engage the consumer behaviour in carbon sobriety. To examine this effectiveness, four studies were carried out, i.e., a “Q-method” research and three experiments. The first two studies aim to explore the role of visual representation of climate change and semantic expressions, used to describe this phenomenon in conveying perceptions and attitudes towards decarbonisation. The third study aims to explain the impact of the type of communication (anxiety induced vs. informative) on consumption choices (pro-materialistic vs. pro-environmental). The last study seeks to confirm that mortality salience, whatever its origin is (e.g., climate change or terrorist attacks), generates mostly pro-materialistic consumption choices (vs. pro-environmental). Based on the results of these studies, we highlight, firstly, the necessity to modify these registers in order to reduce their negative and/or counterproductive effects. Secondly, the necessity to adopt a segmentation strategy of communication according to the cultural worldviews of individuals to engage them in an effective fight against the climate changes.

Au niveau postsecondaire, les concepts mathématiques avancés seraient des concepts difficiles à appréhender pour beaucoup d’étudiants. Le concept de série fait partie de ces concepts avancés que les étudiants rencontrent pour la première fois de façon formelle dans leurs études postsecondaires (au niveau collégial, Cégep, dans le contexte québécois). Ce concept a un très grand nombre d’applications et ce, aussi bien en mathématiques que dans le domaine scientifique. Cependant, sa complexité propre et sa nature contre-intuitive font qu’il est très difficile à appréhender par certains étudiants. Parmi les difficultés d’appréhension, dans un grand nombre de cas, on peut trouver la conception que la somme d’une infinitude de termes donnera une quantité qui ne peut être qu’infiniment grande. Étant donné l’importance et la complexité de ce concept, on pourrait s’attendre à ce qu’il soit pris en compte avec une grande attention par la recherche. Cependant, notre recension d’écrits montre qu’il y a très peu d’études centrées sur le concept de somme infinie. Dans ce mémoire, nous allons présenter des résultats d’une analyse effectuée sur dix-sept manuels utilisés dans les Cégeps du Québec. Les résultats de cette analyse nous ont permis de prendre conscience que les manuels utilisés par l’enseignement actuel font rarement usage du registre graphique et que le registre algébrique est souvent privilégié. Ainsi, la plupart des manuels utilisés dans les Cégeps utilisent rarement les représentations visuelles qui pourraient être un outil important pouvant contribuer dans une appréhension complète du concept de série et les graphiques sont pratiquement absents dans tous les exercices et problèmes que ces manuels proposent. Par ailleurs, les résultats de notre recherche montre que les applications mathématiques et extramathématiques sont rares, et ce, bien que les sommes infinies soient un concept essentiel dans l’introduction d’autres concepts mathématiques et qu’elles permettent de modéliser plusieurs phénomènes. De plus, parmi le peu d’applications extramathématiques qui apparaissent dans les dix-sept manuels, beaucoup sont peu utiles à l’appréhension du concept en question étant donné que celles-ci sont artificielles (applications difficiles à réaliser dans la vie quotidienne). Enfin, nos résultats de recherche nous révèlent que le contenu des manuels en lien avec le concept de série mériterait d’être réajusté afin de permettre aux étudiants une meilleure appréhension de ce concept. / At the post high school level, advanced mathematical concepts are difficult to grasp for many students. The series concept is one such advanced concept that students meet for the first time formally in their postsecondary studies (Cégep in the Québec context). This concept has a very large number of applications both in mathematics and in science. However, its own complexity and nature against-intuitive make it very difficult to understand by some students. Among the difficulties to apprehend it, in many cases, we can find the idea that the sum of an infinite number of terms will give a quantity which will necessarily be infinitely large. Given the importance and complexity of this concept, one might expect it to be considered with great attention by the research. However, our literature review shows that there are very few studies focusing on the concept of infinite sum. In this Masters thesis, we will present the results of an analysis carried out on seventeen textbooks used in Cégeps in Quebec. The results of this analysis have allowed us to realize that the textbooks used by the current education rarely make use of the graphic register and that the algebraic register is often favored. Thus, most of the textbooks used in Cégeps rarely use visual representations that could be an important tool that can contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the concept of series and graphics are virtually absent in all the exercises and problems that these books offer. Furthermore, the results of our research show that mathematical and extramathematical applications are scarce, although infinite sums are a key concept in the introduction of other mathematical concepts and they allow modeling several phenomena. Moreover, among the few extramathematical applications that appear in the seventeen textbooks, many are of little use to the understanding of the concept in question since they are artificial (difficult applications to perform in daily life). Finally, our research results reveal that the content of textbooks in connection with the concept of series deserves to be readjusted to allow students a better understanding of this concept.