I am currently enrolled in the Critical Visual Dialogues track of Digital Pedagogy Lab 2020. Today we have some activities to compete and share with our track.
1: Self-Portrait
This is a collection of images that represents my journey to getting a PhD
2: Social, political and cultural components and functions of visuals
Visuals are social signals. I think of t-shirts, stickers on water bottles, Facebook background images, laptop skins. These are shorthand ways to connect, to group. A sticker from a brewery on your water bottle tells everyone that you drink alcohol. A t-shirt with Darth Vader on us means you like Star Wars, and might even consider yourself a nerd.
This language is not universal, however. One symbol may mean something in one context, and something else in another.
Visuals are political (everything is political)
In our country, a red, white, and blue image signals patriotism. Personally, I don’t buy anything in these colors.
We (media) find the most unflattering pictures of celebrities and politicians to use when the story is negative. Flattering ones when the views are positive.
3: Image & Poem
Years keep passing us
Best of friends but so much more
Adventures to come
4: Advert response
What are your thoughts about this promoted advert on Twitter?
My first thought was that it is targeted towards young people. My second though is that the Army is being sneaky by using a very “playful” image. It’s different than the recruiting propaganda I’m used to, which generally shows people in uniforms with guns running though the rain and doing strategic looking stuff on computers.
What role does the image play?
To me, this image is intended to attract young people and even children who will be drawn to the cartoonish/silly drawing and colors.
What is the intended message?
That if you join the Army you will have real confidence and emojis give you fake confidence? I guess….
(How) does the digital context shape the message?
Emojis are the language of the digital world