Concept of a transductive link

This theoretical paper defines and explores the concepts of transductive links and transductive chains, as part of the theoretical framework of social semiotics. Social semiotics stems from the multimodal framework, which provides a theoretical perspective, constructs, and a language to describe a shift of semiotic material within or between semiotic systems, such as rewriting a text or moving from a function to a plot. Within this framework a shift of semiotic material between two such systems is referred to as a transduction. This paper aims to expand on the concept of transduction by identifying a theoretical contribution to the modeling of this process, referred to as a transductive link. This link is suggested to affect the transduction process and the resulting learning experience. For example, when plotting measurement data, a computer program can be employed to read the data and to transform the data into pixel information. In this case, programming, or the act of programming, acts as a link between the two resources in the transduction process—a transductive link. In other cases, multiple transductions can be performed one after another resulting in these links creating what we define as a transductive chain. By observing and analyzing the use of different semiotic systems in different learning situations, transductive links and chains can be identified and examined. From this identification one has the possibility to find weak links in the transductive chain and address them accordingly. As such, we suggest that transductive links and chains are powerful tools to be able to understand students’ learning experiences.

Figure 1

(a) Light from the stars is detected by the satellite and sent back to earth as digital signals. (b) The data is converted into an image that is designed to allow the physicist to see and understand certain aspects of the stars.

Figure 2

A tape with a weight is dropped through a ticker. The ticker marks the tape at regular time intervals as the tape falls. The student must then connect the distance between the dots on the tape to the notion of velocity and plot the velocity. From the slope of the velocity in the plot, the student may then calculate the acceleration. These steps are all examples of different transductions.

Figure 3

The transduction process, shifting the semiotic material from a semiotic resource (red) by constructing a new semiotic resource in a new semiotic system (blue). We aim to expand on the description of the arrow (the transduction process) by the theoretical concept of the transductive link.

Figure 4

A concept is experienced using different semiotic systems and many of the concept’s facets are revealed through the different types of semiotic systems. Diagrams are used as the transductive link between experimental work and mathematics. The blue lines represents a shift between semiotic systems and the red lines represent a semiotic resource representing the concept. Adapted from image found in Refs. [7, 15].

Figure 5

Programming acts as the transductive link between the mathematical function (semiotic system: formulas) and the semiotic system graph. Here, it is through the use of programming that the transduction takes place.

Figure 6

The same data are captured using satellites and used in a program to construct two different HR diagrams. Depending on how programming is applied will affect the outcome. The top diagram is from the GAIA project [23] and showcases four million stars. The bottom diagram showcases groups of stars and their variation in absolute magnitude is coupled to the size of the circles. The bottom diagram is reprinted, with permission, from Ref. [24]. Both diagrams were constructed using data from satellites and by using programming to visualize it. Using the transductive link, programming, two different semiotic resources were constructed from the same data but they aim to showcase different aspects of the data.

Figure 7

A transduction can often be divided up into several transductive links, as seen in the figure, forming a transductive chain.

Figure 8

A semiotic resource with high disciplinary affordances [disciplinary resource (DR)] is unpacked to construct a new semiotic resource with more pedagogical affordances [pedagogical resource (PR)]. The unpacking of the semiotic resource may be done using different transductive links, either as complete steps or as scaffolding, if the unpacking requires a transduction.

Figure 9

A transductive link is changed or replaced to construct a new flow of semiotic material from the disciplinary resource (DR) to the pedagogical resource (PR). The new link will affect the transduction process and the affordances of the new semiotic resource.