Contemporary Issues in Image Research
Can We Trust Images? : On the Concept of Visuacy and Meta-visual Awareness in Natural and Human Sciences
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Gregor Kastl, Nadja Köffler
What do images let us know? What information do they provide? Can we trust visual information and why do we give unargued credibility to (documentary) images? If we analyse an image, either an X-ray picture as a physician, or a photograph as a social scientist, questions will arise concerning information content, relation to reality, and reliability. For a long time, documentary images (e.g. photography), in a positivistic understanding were perceived to be a reproduction of reality. Promulgation through the mass media influencing our perception and our shaping of reality contrasted the constructivist view and showed that each image is involved in producing and constructing our reality. Examples of image manipulation, e.g. in war journalism (embedded journalism), should raise our awareness that the use of images has always been subject to processes of “objectification”, “institutionalization” and “legitimization”. Even the objectivised “medical image”, despite its unquestioned postulation of relation to reality, is exposed to these mechanisms. In our paper presentation, we will outline basic principles of computer based medical image analysis and will add perspectives of image theory to it. By using examples of image manipulation and misinterpretation, we would like to sharpen the awareness for a critical consideration of the reality content of images in Natural as well as in Human Sciences and will plea for promoting visual literacy on a meta-level in academia.
The Absent Presence
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Cedric van Eenoo
An image contains visual ingredients of composition, arranged on a surface to create meaning. However, when the focus diverts from what is present to what is absent in the picture, a new dimension can emerge. The offscreen elements appear as significant as their visible counterparts. But by concentrating on what is missing, the mind has a different perception of the art. The message is not direct, but implied, allowing for freedom of interpretation. Utilizing omission rather than addition enables the viewer to recompose the art and project personal emotions. Ultimately, the act of removing generates an aesthetic of absence. In this regard, the exploration of the void leans toward inwardness and discretion, emphasizing introspection. Additionally, a closer look at psychology and its use in the arts with the Gestalt theory describes how the human brain tends to close gaps in visuals that are unfinished. This mechanism generates an immersive experience. Essentially, the Japanese concept of "ma" utilizes and manipulates the in-between, shifting the centre of attention, to enable an intensification of vision. In this configuration, the invisible inspires contemplation, in a similar way haiku poems use metaphors: to suggest, as opposed to signify. The artwork can then operate on a new level of awareness, where the attributes that are actually absent become quintessential.
Utilising ePortfolios as a Tertiary e-Learning Tool for Students to Visually Express Their Understanding
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Annabelle Lewer-Fletcher, Arianne Rourke
This paper discusses a study that investigated how visuals were used in ePortfolios to illustrate students’ personal learning narratives during two repeats of a course on global citizenship at the University of New South Wales (UNSW), Australia. This study examines 40 university student ePortfolios that were produced during a twelve-week period. A theoretical framework is used to analyse the effectiveness of using visuals as a mechanism for illustrating student’s personal reflections and learning. In this course students were required to make connections between their knowledge and experiences and their personal research, alongside theoretical perspectives gained from studying published research findings. This study analyses how students used mind maps to communicate visually their learning during the course and the benefits of ePortfolios as an elearning tool to demonstrate professional readiness while learning the skill of creating ‘eye-catching’ digital resumes. The benefits of ePortfolios as a mechanism for visually demonstrating how student can connect their learning outcomes to both the course summative and formative assessment is outlined. It will be argued, that the ePortfolios can be a powerful educative tool to provide a tangible record of learning as well as a mechanism by which students can innovatively and creatively, visually reflect on their understanding of their future roles and responsibilities as 21st century global citizens.
