Date of Award
2025-11-01
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy
Department
English Rhetoric and Composition
Advisor(s)
Beth Brunk
Abstract
The expansion of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) developed new perceptions of learning, communication processes, shaped university students' new practices and has brought about significant changes in social dynamics. Images and visual language have become central to the way humans communicate, communication processes have changed, and the composition and creation of arguments have changes. In this context, the use of multiple screens (Multiscreens) has led to multitasking, but additionally in digital contexts where students are hyper-connected. They do their homework while on social media, texting, creating videos, using a new app, or watching a movie on YouTube or Netflix. This research examines Visual Ecologies in digital and non-digital environments. The aim is to propose a sustainable model for analyzing and experiencing visual ecologies (Midgley, 1995). Visual Rhetoric Analysis Model and Visual Ecology Proposal Model. The Visual Rhetoric Analysis Model proposes an interdisciplinary approach to image analysis, using diverse theoretical lenses to deconstruct the meanings and perspectives an image can hold. By examining how images shape perception, this model fosters the development of critical thinking. The Visual Ecology Proposal Model focuses on visual ecologies in digital contexts in three sections: Multiscreens, Multitasking and Multisenses. This dual model allows First-Year Composition students to analyze their own habits, uses, customs and practices while and studying using multimodal learning with all that that implies. The objective is to develop students' critical thinking skills and foster continuous learning about current and emerging literacies. To do this, digital literacy and connectivity must be approached consciously, deliberately. In sum, this research aims to guide students toward digital literacy with a conscious and critical approach. It is also presented as a practical and reference tool for instructors that serves as support to be used in the classroom.
Language
en
Provenance
Received from ProQuest
Copyright Date
2025-11
File Size
184 p.
File Format
application/pdf
Rights Holder
Elizabeth Escobedo Salazar
Recommended Citation
Escobedo Salazar, Elizabeth, "Visual Ecologies and Language in Digital Environments: Narratives from First-Year Composition Students in Multimodal Learning" (2025). Open Access Theses & Dissertations. 4540.
https://scholarworks.utep.edu/open_etd/4540