Making Pictures Speak

Brown, Alistair

Abstract

In the era of social media, images dominate over text. For English students in a world of Instagram and Amazon, images can reveal a great deal about the proclivities of readers. But how to access this data in a straightforward way, without having to work with complex databases or programs? This task will demonstrate that subtle patterns and complex theoretical debates can emerge even by using everyday tools like Google Images. Google Images can provide an at-a-glance impression of reader responses across time and cultures, and although not in itself a social media, it provides a valuable frame in which to set observations about the social life of books.

And while ‘Googling it’ may seem a dreadedly obvious solution to an academic problem, this is itself a teaching opportunity. By thinking more deeply about how Google Images derives and presents its search results, and by tweaking these through different search strategies, students can reflect on the socio-economic context in which texts are presented, how paratexts can shape readerly expectations, and the biases latent in the presentation of search results. This activity can thus also enhance students’ critical digital literacy skills.

Citation

Brown, A. (2018). Making Pictures Speak. [Website]

• Digital Artefact Type: Website Content
• Online Publication Date: Jun 24, 2018
• Publication Date: Jun 24, 2018
• Deposit Date: Oct 7, 2019
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1638666
• Related Public URLs: https://www.digitalenglish.com.au/making-pictures-speak/
• Additional Information: Source: Digital English: A Handbook for the 21st Century
• External URL: https://www.digitalenglish.com.au/making-pictures-speak/