What Do You Meme? Students Communicating their Experiences, Intuitions, and Biases Surrounding Data Through Memes

Ralph Vacca, Kayla Desportes, Marian Tes, Megan Silander, Anna Amato, Camillia Matuk, Peter J. Woods

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

Abstract

Memes have become ubiquitous artifacts of contemporary digital culture that integrate visual and textual components in order to communicate about a topic. They can be used as forms of visual argumentation that draw on cultural references while facilitating critical commentary that typically results in humorous and caustic dialogue. In this paper, we investigate the meme creation tool, DataMeme where middle school students explore graphs then construct GIFs using existing Gyphy GIFs and overlay their own text onto them in order to communicate about the meaning behind the data. We explore the ways the students engaged in data reasoning and their argumentation practices as they communicate through their memes. Findings from our analysis of 56 data memes and the corresponding written explanations from the students, show that data memes allow students to evaluate data claims within their broader societal implications, while also expressing personal beliefs and attitudes about data.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationProceedings of Interaction Design and Children, IDC 2022
PublisherAssociation for Computing Machinery, Inc
Pages212-224
Number of pages13
ISBN (Electronic)9781450391979
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 27 2022
Event21st ACM Interaction Design and Children Conference, IDC 2022 - Virtual, Online, Portugal
Duration: Jun 27 2022Jun 30 2022

Publication series

NameProceedings of Interaction Design and Children, IDC 2022

Conference

Conference21st ACM Interaction Design and Children Conference, IDC 2022
Country/TerritoryPortugal
CityVirtual, Online
Period6/27/226/30/22

Keywords

  • argumentation
  • arts education
  • data literacy
  • data reasoning
  • memes
  • middle school classrooms

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Human-Computer Interaction
  • Software

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