Active and passive transductions—definitions and implications for learning

Abstract To move between different semiotic systems , such as graphs and formulas, is a necessary step in learning physics or solving problems. In s ocial semiotics , this movement of semiotic material is called a transduction and during a transduction a student must unpack , filter , and highlight different aspects of the concept or problem. Unpacking, filtering, and highlighting have been shown to be important to the meaning-making process and transductions should be seen as indicators of meaning-making and learning. However, in this paper we argue that not all transductions performed by students requires unpacking, filtering, or highlighting, and hence the definition of transduction needs to be refined in its description. We introduce the ideas of passive and active transductions that separates transductions that may lead to meaning-making from transductions that may not. This separation is done through shown engagement with the semiotic material of the transduction. We connect shown engagement with the semiotic material to the already established anatomy of disciplinary discernment to create a useful tool when evaluating student engagement and discernment. In the paper, we showcase examples of passive and active transductions and provide a short description of how to identify them in different learning situations.