This thesis project will focus on the symbolism and artistic interpretation of how I perceive reality. This thesis project uses all artistic skills that I have acquired throughout my lifetime and combines them into one mixed digital media video. This is a mix between the two digital media formats 2D and 3D. Each animation and segment syncs with the music selected manually or technically. The process of creation for each segment and explaining which software I choose to use for each task. It also dives a little further, noting the artistic decisions and why. The symbolism used within the art piece is addressed and explained. Anything not discussed is open to personal interpretation and encourages the viewers to think individually further into the topics. The usage of this art style / art form is discussed and researched on where it can be found in usage outside of the music industry. Also, stating the popularity and accreditation this style receives from casually mass viewing. In summary, the art style of surrealism and abstract shapes in addition to the art form of mixed digital media, consumers indulge this art archetype worldwide. It can be useable within music visuals, ambient relaxation, modern art galleries, video games, and progressive advertising. Thus, making this art viable in multiple parts of the economy and creating consistent trends of revenue increasing. With the consistent growth of technology use, complimentary style to electronic music, and viable formatting for social media this art style is predicted to drastically grow in demand within the next coming years.

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This dissertation explores the effect of visuals on test-takers’ L2 listeningprocesses. It uses a mixed methods design, following a concurrent transformative model (Creswell & Poth, 2018). There are three components to the study. The first is a comparison of group performance, aiming to shed light on how test-takers’ test performance may be affected by the inclusion of visuals. A total of 190 undergraduate students in China took part in this component. After being randomly and evenly placed in two groups according to their estimated proficiency level, their listening ability was assessed by a pre-test. They then took one of the two versions of a post-test, one where the participants could both see and hear the speakers, and the other one where they could only hear the speakers. A comparison of the two groups’ post-test scores using ANCOVA showed that the audio-visual participants scored significantly higher than the audio-only participants on the post-test. This indicates that the inclusion of visuals significantly enhanced the participants’ test performance. The second component of the study is a retrospective cued recall that investigatestest-takers’ specific listening processes. Ten participants in each group were randomly selected to join this part to the study. Their post-test test-taking processes were recorded and served as the stimuli for them to recall their viewing patterns, note-taking practice, identification of authentic features, and question-answering approaches. The comparisons between the two groups showed individual and group similarities, along with differences in every aspect of the listening processes. The last component is an analysis of the notes taken by the test-takers. Thequalitative participants’ notes taken during the post-test were rated regarding the correct levels of information noted, overall organization, and irrelevant and incorrect information noted. Using Spearman’s correlations, the note quality was correlated with the post-test scores in each condition. No significant correlations were found. This indicates that there was no substantive relationship between the participants’ note quality and test scores. Based on the results of the study, I advocate for the practice of including visualsin L2 listening tests, and an expansion of the construct definition of academic lecture listening to include the assessment of test-takers’ ability to understand visual cues. I also propose a five-dimension authenticity scale to measure the authenticity level of L2 listening input used on L2 listening tests. The study also has several other practical implications that are useful for L2 listening research, test development, and teaching and learning. Key limitations are acknowledged and discussed, and future research directions are suggested. / Teaching & Learning

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This dissertation was driven by a lack of evidence substantiating the current state of visual literacy knowledge and skills of instructional design professionals and the continuing call for visual literacy assessment research. The project has contributed two manuscripts that examine the existing visual literacy assessment research and document an attempt at designing and developing an evidence-based visual literacy assessment product. The first manuscript, a comprehensive literature review, offers insights into how visual literacy has been assessed over the years and the challenges associated with establishing a research agenda for visual literacy assessment as revealed by current research and practice. The second manuscript, adopting the design and development research methodology, aims to design and develop a product that instructional designers can use to assess or diagnose the strengths and weaknesses in their knowledge regarding a fundamental vocabulary of visual literacy. / Doctor of Philosophy / Learning and training design professionals are often expected by the job market to communicate effectively using static or moving visual messages throughout the learning or performance problem-solving process. This process typically includes the analysis of the problem and the design, development, implementation, and evaluation of the corresponding solution. However, research has reported a mismatch between employers' and employees' perceptions of the visual competencies of learning and training professionals. Moreover, there is very limited evidence-based research assessing these visual competencies or producing assessment products or procedures. Therefore, this dissertation has contributed two manuscripts to address this issue. In the first manuscript, a comprehensive review of the relevant literature is presented to inform how these visual competencies have been assessed by previous efforts and to identify the difficulties or challenges associated with the assessment as revealed by the researchers and their work. The second manuscript designed and developed an open-access digital product for learning and training professionals to assess or diagnose their knowledge of a collection of foundational terms and concepts that underpin many visual competencies. Therefore, this product helps learning and training professionals to remediate their visual knowledge accordingly. As part of the design and development process, a group of learning and training professionals and another group of visual competency experts experienced the product and provided valuable feedback that has guided product modifications and identified areas for future development.

Comment la mise en œuvre de processus biologiques et techniques, dialoguant au sein d’un dispositif artistique, contribue t-elle « en pratique » à l’élaboration d’un « milieu associé » nécessaire dans notre contexte technoscientifique actuel ?Notre identité, qui se définit dans une double expérience biologique et culturelle du monde (E. Morin), semble aujourd’hui mise en tension par l’existence d’un « milieu dis-socié » (B. Stiegler) fragilisant l’élaboration individuelle et collective. Dans son approche du vivant et de la technique, le contexte technoscientifique actuel favorise ce sentiment de discontinuité : malgré une proximité physique grandissante, les opérations qui rassemblent ces deux entités semblent en effet occulter l’expérience sensible et significative qu’elles suscitent. S’appuyant sur une pratique personnelle, mise en regard d’un état de l’art, cette thèse d’artiste envisage de soigner cette relation, en la mettant « à l’œuvre » au cœur du dispositif artistique : le « médium » artistique sera envisagé comme un « milieu associé » (G. Simondon) capable de lier forme et structure, éléments naturels et techniques, expériences physique et psychique.Par sa qualité à concilier action, matérialité, perceptibilité et signification, l’approche artistique du processus s’offre comme hypothèse de recherche choisie : Les œuvres-processus instaurent ainsi un dialogue opératoire et significatif entre des processus vitaux et techniques, constituant un corpus d’œuvres et de projets interdisciplinaires dans lesquelles scientifiques, ingénieurs et artistes collaborent. Parmi eux, une expérience d’apprentissage épigénétique intitulée Éducation à la danse pour 8 plantes Télégraphe, une recherche autour des stromatholites qui explore le caractère mythologique de la biominéralisation et l’esthétique du geste technique ; ou encore le Temporium, une sculpture-laboratoire créant des images vivantes et qui cristallise plusieurs aspects de ce travail de recherche : le passage de la recherche à l’œuvre, les contraintes d’un matériau vivant, le double défi technique et esthétique du projet et l’autonomie de l’œuvre en exposition. La description et l’analyse de cette recherche « par la pratique » serviront de terreau pour répondre à notre problématique, sous une forme plus théorique, abordant autant les enjeux esthétiques de l’œuvre-processus que les potentiels du contexte de recherche en art qui accompagne sa création.Par son esthétique du devenir, sa qualité de milieu physico-symbolique, l’œuvre-processus déploie une activité relationnelle qui contribue non-seulement à une expérience esthétique associante, mais ouvre aussi le lieu d’exposition à un nouveau rôle sociétal. Si elle apparaît initialement comme une contrainte, la technicité de l’œuvre-processus pourra être source d’individuation pour son praticien. Cette dimension instrumentale ouvre également des pistes de valorisation hors du champ artistique, aidée par le caractère interdisciplinaire des projets. Sur un plan plus immatériel, cet écosystème de recherche pluriel contribue aussi à l’expression d’une « singularité collective » et à l’élaboration d’une « fabrique du commun ». Néanmoins ponctuée d’échecs, cette recherche pointe ses fragilités en révélant certaines limites de l’artiste-chercheur face aux contraintes du milieu artistique actuel.Ce constat nous mènera à prendre en compte l’ « écologie » de ce projet, l’œuvre-processus apparaissant comme un support privilégié pour la création d’un système, visant à travailler ensemble les dimensions mentales, environnementales et sociales qui caractérisent l’expérience humaine. / How does the implementation of biological and technical processes, dialoguing in the context of an art 'dispositif', contribute in practice to the elaboration of an 'associated milieu' necessary to our current technoscientific context? Our identity, defined by both a biological and a cultural experience of the world (E. Morin) is today called into question with the existence of a 'dissociated milieu' (B. Stiegler) disrupting the individual and the collective construct. In it’s approach to the living and technology, the current technoscientific context favours a feeling of discontinuity. Despite a growing physical proximity, the process that brings together these two entities appears to be masking the sense and significant experiences they also provoke. Grounded within my artistic practice and put into the perspective of the state of the Arts, this artist doctoral thesis has as goal to heal this relationship, putting it “at work” at the heart of the artistic context: the artistic 'medium' will therefore be considered as an 'associated milieu' (G. Simondon) able to connect shape and form, natural and technical elements, mental and physical experiences.Thanks to its capacity to draw action, materiality, perceptibility and signification together, the artistic approach of the 'processus' is a research hypothesis of choice: the 'œuvres-processus' establish an operative and meaningful dialogue between life and technical processes, thus composing a corpus of interdisciplinary projects and works, in which scientists, engineers and artists collaborate. Among them, a learning experience based on epigenetics called 'Teaching Dance to 8 Telegraph Plants'; a research on the topic of stromatolites that explores the mythological aspect of biomineralization and the aesthetics of the technical gesture; or furthermore the 'Temporium', a sculpture-laboratory which creates living images and also brings together several aspects of this research: the transition from the research to the artwork, the constraints of a living material, the technical and aesthetic challenges of the project, and the autonomy of the exhibited work. The description and analysis of this practice-based research will serve as groundwork to tackle the issue raised here —in a more theoretical manner— meanwhile equally addressing the aesthetic stakes of the 'process-work' and the potentials of the research context in art that comes with its creation.Through its aesthetic of the becoming, its quality as a physical and symbolical medium, the 'process-work' unfolds a relational activity that contributes not only to an associating aesthetic experience, but also opens the exhibition space to a new societal role. Initially appearing as a constraint, the technicality of the work-process may become a source of individuation for its practitioner. This instrumental aspect opens additionally onto new opportunities outside the artistic field, eased by the interdisciplinary nature of the projects. On a more intangible level, this pluralistic research ecosystem also contributes to the expression of a 'collective singularity' and to the elaboration of a 'fabric of the common'. Nevertheless punctuated by unavoidable failures, this research uncovers as well its own weaknesses, by revealing certain limits the artist-researcher has when faced with the constraints the current artistic context presents.This analysis reveals the necessity to take into account the 'ecological’ aspect of this project, the 'process-work' appearing as a support of choice for the creation of a system, aiming to work together the mental, environmental and social dimensions that characterize the human experience.

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O presente estudo estrutura-se em torno de questionamentos referentes à investigação de como um curso de formação continuada, que explorava ouso dos recursos visuais, poderia contribuir para o desenvolvimento da prática reflexiva, bem como da autonomia do professor no ensino de Química. Na perspectiva de uma pesquisa qualitativa, na qual buscou-se identificar e analisar as concepções de professores de Química referente ao uso desses recursos em sequências didáticas desenvolvidas no durante o curso de formação. O mesmo foi realizado nas cidades de São Paulo-SP e Recife-PE, devido, em ambos os estados, as ações de políticas públicas educacionais disponibilizarem recursos tecnológicos (tablets, notebooks, projetores multimídia) para uso dos professores e alunos em sala de aula. Contudo, não foram identificados programas de formação continuada específicos para o uso de forma estruturada e consciente. Pois, sabe-se que o uso desses recursos no ensino de Química, possibilitam melhorias na compreensão dos fenômenos químicos, através da transição das informações presentes nos três modos representativos (macroscópico, submicroscópico e simbólico) da Química.Dentro da proposta do curso foram discutidas Teorias da Psicologia Cognitiva que dão suporte para a utilização desses recursos visuais em sala de aula, como a (I) Teoria da Codificação Dual (TCD) de Alan Paivio (PAIVIO, 1986); II) Teoria da Carga Cognitiva (TCC) elaborada por John Sweller (SWELLER, 2003); e, III) Teoria Cognitiva da Aprendizagem Multimídia (TCAM) desenvolvida por Mayer (2001). Os pressupostos metodológicos direcionavam na investigação de como os professores modificavam o seu exercer profissional com o uso dos recursos visuais, bem como no que se refere aos momentos de reflexão para prática e no desenvolvimento de sua autonomia (ZEICHNER, 1993a; 1995; MORTIMER, FRISON, 2014). Com os registros audiovisuais, exercícios metodológicos, entrevistas e aplicação da sequência didática desenvolvida e aplicada na realidade escolar do professor, foi possível identificar e analisar estes aspectos. No contexto de São Paulo-SP, as mudanças centraram-se na questão do uso e inserção de recursos visuais plausíveis de serem explorados na realidade dos professores participantes. E, no processo colaborativo de auxiliar o outro na estruturação das sequências didáticas, dispondo-se assim de momentos de reflexão para a prática individual, mas realizadas em grupo. Em Recife-PE, os relatos de experiência dos professores demonstraram que apenas uma professora utilizava simulações e softwares de forma mais estruturada e consciente das potencialidades e limites associadas a estes recursos. Mas, com disposição dos outros professores em compreenderem a importância de estudo e uso dos recursos visuais em suas aulas. Em ambos os contextos, os professores se preocuparam em estruturar sequências didáticas que possibilitassem o desenvolvimento do aluno e melhor compreensão dos fenômenos integrados a uma abordagem mais construtivista, distanciando-se do ensino tradicional. Desta forma, foi possível identificar e explorar algumas concepções e dificuldades dos professores em estruturem sequencias didáticas com uso dos recursos visuais e diante disto, explorar algumas sugestões para realização de pesquisas futuras. / This study is structured around questions relating to research as a teacher training course, which explored the use of visual resources, could contribute to the development of reflective practice, and the autonomy of the teacher in the teaching of chemistry. From the perspective of a qualitative research, in which we sought to identify and analyze the chemistry teachers\' conceptions regarding the use of these resources in teaching sequences developed in during the training course. The same was done in São Paulo-SP and Recife-PE, due in both states, educational public policy actions make available technological resources (tablets, notebooks, multimedia projectors) for use by teachers and students in the classroom. However, were not identified specific programs for continuing education for the use of structured and consciously. For, it is known that the use of these resources in the teaching of chemistry, enable improvements in the understanding of chemical phenomena, through the transition from the information provided in three representative modes (macroscopic, submicroscopic and symbolic) of chemistry. In the proposal of the course were discussed theories of Cognitive Psychology that support for the use of these visual resources in the classroom, such as (I) Dual Coding Theory (DCT) Alan Paivio (PAIVIO, 1986); II) Theory of Cognitive Load (TCC) developed by John Sweller (SWELLER, 2003); and, III) Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning (TCAM) developed by Mayer (2001). The methodological assumptions directed to investigate how teachers would modify their professional exercise with the use of visual resources, as well as with regard to moments of reflection to practice and develop their autonomy (ZEICHNER, 1993a; 1995; MORTIMER, FRISON, 2014). And audiovisual records, methodological exercises, interviews and application of the developed instructional sequence and applied in the school reality of the teacher, it was possible to identify and analyze these aspects. In the context of São Paulo-SP, changes focused on the question of the use and integration of plausible visuals to explore the reality of the participating teachers. And collaborative process to assist the other in the structuring of didactic sequences, thus providing up to moments of reflection for individual practice, but conducted in groups. In Recife, the teachers experience reports have shown that only a teacher used simulations and more structured form of software and aware of the potential and limits associated with these resources. But the mood of the other teachers understand the importance of study and use of visual aids in their classes. In both contexts, teachers bother to structure didactic sequences that would allow the student development and better understanding of the phenomena integrated into a more constructivist approach, moving away from traditional teaching. Thus, it was possible to identify and explore some conceptions and difficulties of teachers in structuring teaching sequences with use of visuals and before that, explore some suggestions for future research.

The thesis caters to the demands of the creative industries for products and contents which can be utilized for convergent media usage and cross-marketing strategies. In this regard character design serves as an important element of entertainment franchises since it is a means to produce media content with high recognition value. However, numerous character adaptations in different media formats illustrate that characters who are successful in one medium are not necessarily as successful in another media format. The thesis takes a closer look at characters in the context of media convergence and discusses the main principles of character creation and development. By favoring a heuristic approach which analyzes the aesthetic phenomena of arts and entertainment by the means of theoretical research which is supported by practical examples, the thesis concludes that character development is based on three dimensions which have to be combined in order to create characters which can be utilized for different media formats. In this context the work discusses character creation in writing, visuals and interactive media by focusing on ways which secure the successful transfer of characters into different media formats without a loss of character depth and quality.

The purpose of the study was to determine how exceptional writing teachers utilize visual images in their teaching of writing. Specifically, the researcher was interested to discover how drawing might be used as a learning tool in the various stages of the writing process. Nine elementary teachers - recognized as exemplary teachers of writing, completed a detailed questionnaire in reference to their writing instruction. All of the teachers surveyed value visuals highly and recognize the potential impact that drawing can have on writing. However, not all of these teachers are utilizing drawing or visual strategies in their writing instruction on a regular basis. Descriptions of writing instruction and types of visuals used, along with examples, are provided. Additional information was gathered by conducting a case study and observing the instruction of one of the teachers, a particularly information-rich sample, who does integrate drawing and writing. This teacher’s beliefs and resulting purposeful instruction are described as evidence for how others might incorporate these valuable strategies. The data reported here highlights the use of visuals and drawing as instructional tools in writing instruction and supports the conclusion that these strategies can be incorporated into the teaching of writing for more effective instruction.