Browsing by Author "Huang, Cheng-Wen"

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    Argument as design: a multimodal approach to academic argument in a digital age
    (2015) Huang, Cheng-Wen; Archer, Arlene
    This study posits that using a range of modes and genres to construct argument can engender different ways of thinking about argument in the academic context. It investigates the potentials and constraints of adopting a multimodal approach to constructing academic argument. The research is situated within a seminar, in a second year Media course. Within this context, the study identifies the semiotic resources that students draw on and examines how they are employed to construct academic argument in three digital domains, namely video, comics and PowerPoint. Grounded in a theory of multimodal social semiotics, this study posits that argument is a product of design, motivated by the rhetor's interest in communicating a particular message, in a particular environment, and shaped by the available resources in the given environment. It proposes that argument is a cultural text form for bringing about difference (Kress 1989). This view of argument recognises that argument occurs in relation to mode, genre, discourse and medium. The study illustrates how each of these social categories shapes argument through textual analysis. A framework based on Halliday's metafunctional principle is proposed to analyse argument in multimodal texts. The framework combines theories from rhetoric and social semiotics. It offers analysis of ideational content, the ways social relations are established, and how organising principles assist in establishing coherence in argument. The analysis of the data (video, comics and PowerPoint presentations) demonstrates that the framework can be applied across genres and media. The significance of the study is threefold. Theoretically, it contributes towards theorising a theory of argument from a multimodal perspective. Methodologically, it puts forward a framework for analysing multimodal arguments. Pedagogically, it contributes towards developing and interrogating a pedagogy of academic argument that is relevant to contemporary communication practices.
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    Discursive constructions of medical students identities in informal course-based online discussions
    (Taylor & Francis, 2008) Huang, Cheng-Wen; Archer, Arlene
    Studies into student identity have tended to focus on formal academic writing for assessment purposes. However, this is beginning to change with a shifting academic and semiotic landscape. More and more tertiary institutions are making use of the writing opportunities afforded by the online environment. Online forums are popular as they promote interaction and discussion among students. This change in the academic landscape has allowed for new approaches to studying the discursive constructions of student identity. Using critical discourse analysis, this paper explores how students construct their identities in informal course-based online discussions in Higher Education. It focuses on the various discourses medical students draw on and the language of online communication in identity construction. By providing a site for students to interact with each other, these online discussions provide for a more active curriculum where students are involved in the meaning-making process.
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    A multimodal social semiotic approach to the analysis of manga : a metalanguage for sequential visual narratives
    (2009) Huang, Cheng-Wen; Archer, Arlene
    This study contributes towards an understanding of the nature of sequential visual narratives, how different semiotic resources may be employed to construct a visual narrative and how sequence of images may be developed. Over the years, extensive research has been undertaken in the area of still images. However, the particularities of meanings made in sequential images remain relatively unexplored. The significance of the study is that it contributes towards an understanding of sequential narratives by proposing a metalanguage for manga. The term ‘manga’ refers to comics that originate from Japan and it is currently a trend in popular culture worldwide.
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    Teaching Grade 10 Girls concepts of the sine trigonometric function using ChatGPT and GeoGebra
    (2025) Eastes, Malindri; Mhakure, Duncan; Huang, Cheng-Wen
    This research investigates how ChatGPT, a generative AI tool, and GeoGebra, an interactive mathematical software, can be employed to enhance Grade 10 girls' learning experience and comprehension of sine trigonometric function concepts. The study seeks to address the main research question – “How can the use of ChatGPT and GeoGebra as instructional tools enhance the teaching of sine trigonometric function concepts in a Grade 10 mathematics class?”. The study is grounded in the socio-constructivist approach, which emphasizes active student centred learning, and positions teachers as facilitators that promote student engagement during teaching and learning. Trigonometry, particularly concepts related to trigonometric functions, presents significant challenges for South African Grade 12 students. Traditional, teacher centred methods, often based on lectures, may contribute to this limited understanding. A design-based research methodology, utilizing iterative cycles of design, implementation, and refinement was adopted to facilitate the data collection and analyses from the three lessons used. The research sample consisted of 20 Grade 10 girls. Data was gathered through video recordings, worksheets, focus group interviews of students, and teacher interviews. Thematic analysis was conducted to analyze the qualitative data from the data collection instruments. The main findings indicate that GeoGebra enhanced explorative learning and significantly boosted student engagement. ChatGPT was perceived as most effective when it offered step by-step guidance for problem-solving or methods to achieve specific outcomes. Both students and the teacher expressed a preference for using ChatGPT and GeoGebra in tandem, seamlessly switching between the two rather than using each tool in isolation. The simultaneous integration of ChatGPT and GeoGebra in teaching sine trigonometric function concepts promoted independent exploration and critical thinking among students. This study underscores the potential benefits of using both ChatGPT and GeoGebra software in the classroom for teaching sine trigonometric function concepts. The findings highlight the pedagogical value of employing ChatGPT and GeoGebra in teaching sine trigonometric functions, which can be insightful for teacher educators, curriculum advisors involved in professional development for in-service teachers, and mathematics teachers. A limitation of the study is its reliance on a small sample from a single school. Future research could address this by repeating the study with a larger sample that includes students from diverse educational and cultural backgrounds.