Working with magnetic field to learn about coordinate systems : A social semiotic approach

In the teaching and learning of physics, a wide range of semiotic resources are used, such as spoken and written language, graphs, diagrams, mathematics, hands on work with apparatus, etc. (Lemke, 1998). In this respect it has been argued that there is a critical constellation of semiotic resources that is needed for appropriate construction of any given disciplinary concept (Airey & Linder, 2009; Airey, 2009). In this social semiotic tradition, it is the development of “fluency” in the individual semiotic resource systems and the ease of transduction (movement and coordination of meaning) between the various semiotic resource systems that makes disciplinary learning possible. We report here findings from an interpretive study of physics students working with a laboratory task designed to encourage transduction when learning about coordinate systems. A hand-held electronic measurement device (IOLab) was used to display components of the Earth’s magnetic field in real time. Our intention was for students to experience the movability of coordinate systems by open-ended investigation of dynamic, real-time changes in the x, y and z components displayed on the computer screen as they manipulated the device. Building on earlier work of Fredlund et. al. (2012) our analysis identifies three types of transduction, the last of which is transduction of meaning to a new modality (iconic gesture) not previously used by the students. We suggest this final form of transduction is indicative of what students have learned and offers the teacher a chance to confirm/challenge student conceptions. Our data clearly demonstrates how careful, open-ended task design, coupled with timely instructor questions can leverage the pedagogical affordances (Airey, 2015) of a range of semiotic resources to make physics learning possible. We therefore claim that understanding the roles that different semiotic resources play for physics learning is vital and call for further research in this area