From Learner to Professional: Transpositioning, Multimodality, and Critical Interactional Competence. Dr David Wei Dai and Dr Simin Ren, UCL Institute of Education. Today 7 November 2025 12.00-1.30 pm (London time) Via Zoom. Please register via: forms.office.com/e/TgBhFdLdMU multimodalforum.org

From Groningen and the #12ICOM conference, organised by Janina Wildfeuer @neous.bsky.social and her team, to the quiet at home. It's a privilege to meet and discuss with other #multimodal researchers across the world. Then, a walk in the woods with my dog and time to reflect provides balance.

What a busy week! But I'm back to 30 min of running/walking in the morning and that feels good even if I'm out of shape.

For those who might be interested: Call for Challenge-led, interdisciplinary projects. UCL GrandChallenges @ucl.ac.uk #AcademicSky #research www.ucl.ac.uk/grand-challe...

I write and I write. I've restructured chapter 7 and reframed chapter 8. It's like domino. You change one thing and all the rest moves (or falls). How I wish I could have done a PhD by publication, if only because you cannot be asked to reframe what has already been published. #PhDlife #AcademicSky

The never ending story of my doctoral thesis writing continues. I'll just go on and work but I do wish there was an end in sight.

This week I've given presentations on AI in HE, and been evacuated from a train, amongst other things. But summer is here and the birds are singing.

Back from London the woods are more fabulous than ever.

Back to work and #research tomorrow but I've had some glorious days off. Nature, my dogs and time outdoors balance that other key part of my life which is my work and research @ioe.bsky.social

I've been focusing on getting my #PhD thesis document in shape for a full read by my supervisors @ioe.bsky.social. Now things feel strange - a mix of being adrift and on holiday. I've slept longer, minded my chickens, walked the dogs, normal non-writing-at-all-hours things. #AcademicSky #PhDlife

I'm still writing but spring comes anyway with promise and cherry flowers and busy bees and nesting birds.

There is still time to join us if you are interested in #Multimodality. Registration is open until one hour before the event forms.office.com/e/5MqF2qW0WV

This was interesting: "Generative AI Turns Bloom’s Taxonomy Upside-Down: Implications for Creativity and Learning (by Michele Galla, Bill Cope and Mary Kalantzis) "an intelligence defined by paradox" #AcademicSky #GenAI #Education #EduSky cgscholar.com/community/co...

Organisational Semiotics in Visual Communication on Sexual and Reproductive Health. Join us for an inspiring talk with Prof Theo van Leeuwen! 9 May 2025 at 1-2.30 pm CEST. Online (link upon registration) To register: forms.office.com/e/5MqF2qW0WV #AcademicSky #MultimodalSky #Multimodality #Semiotics

To register: forms.office.com/pages/respon...

Link for registration: forms.office.com/pages/respon...

Don't miss the #Multimodality Talk this Friday 9 May online at noon London time (or 1 pm CET): Organisational Semiotics in Visual Communication on Sexual and Reproductive Health with prof Theo van Leeuwen. There is still space to sign up. Registration via link, below. #AcademicSky #MultimodalSky

Exciting news! Prof Theo van Leeuwen's #Multimodality Talk on "Sexual and reproductive health promotion – an organizational semiotic approach". 9 May, 12-1.30 London time. It's online, free and all interested are welcome. #AcademicSky #ResearchSky Register at: forms.office.com/Pages/Respon...

The time it takes to #write and #rewrite a research monography is extensive (understatement), and you sit, sit, sit on a chair all day. So, in between stretches of writing I made some plum and rhubarb jam. The writing is slow but I feel good about the jam. #AcadmicSky #PhDlife @ioe.bsky.social

In between polishing and proofreading my thesis text I made a cake. I feel quite proud. #phdlife #AcademicSky

New Chapter – Social Semiotics and Multimodality This chapter, for the forthcomming 3rd edition of the Elsevier Encyclopeida of Linguistics, is now availalbe online (ref doi-link in referece) Abstract Multimodal Social Semiotics (MMSS), as the conjunction of Social Semiotics and multimodality,…

For those interested in #multimodality, our article for the forthcoming 3rd Ed of the Elsevier Encyclopedia in Linguistics is available online. @sophiadiamantop.bsky.social #multimodality #AcademicSky

I have company when I write. That is, I sit on a hard chair and stare at a screen and type. Harry cuddles in an armchair nearby

Colour ... I like colour

It's today and registration is open until 1 before the event. Come join us for an interesting Multimodality Talk with Dr Polina Mesinioti at 12 (London)/ 1pm (Stockholm). Registration link below

Have you registered? It's tomorrow but there's still space to join. It's free and online but requires registration (see link below). This Multimodality Talk is hosted by the Unit of Teaching and Learning at Karolinska Institutet @ki.se #multimodality #MedEd #research

Welcome to the next Multimodality Talk; Mapping Material Zones: A Multimodal Exploration of Medical Emergencies by Dr Polina Mesinioti. Online 7 March 12-1.30 BST. Please register: tinyurl.com/msbdjm3m For more info see tinyurl.com/28r8vyhz #MMTalks #Multimodality #AdacemicSky #Research #MedEd

Pleased to share our newly published open access article

The news is depressing. I take comfort in moments of beauty and continue with my #writing, working to make my #PhD #research at UCL IOE contribute something positive to the world @ioe.bsky.social @ucl.ac.uk #AcademicSky @academic-chatter.bsky.social @academic-chatter.bsky.social

Sorry the time is 12 (noon) London time (it's not yet summer/BST)

Welcome to the next Multimodality Talk; Mapping Material Zones: A Multimodal Exploration of Medical Emergencies by Dr Polina Mesinioti. Online 7 March 12-1.30 BST. Please register via tinyurl.com/msbdjm3m For more information see tinyurl.com/28r8vyhz #multimodality #AcademicSky @ioe.bsky.social

When it comes to learning to #write about #research it's equally important in #feedback to indicate what parts of a text hold up (be specific) and not just what is unclear or should be improved. 'Here the argument is clearly substantiated' is helpful, but "good/bad" is not particularly informative.

I'm placing one metaphorical foot before the other #writing up my #PhD #thesis at UCL IOE about assessment of multimodal text in HE. I've also 1 accepted article 1 book chapter neither are included in the thesis #AcademicSky @ioe.bsky.social @thephdplace.bsky.social @academic-chatter.bsky.social

I created this video for a group of advanced EFL students years ago - unrelated and yet connected - as just now I'm working on a passage in my #PhD thesis relating to epistemic practices (such as teaching and assessing) multimodal text making and power dynamics. #multimodal #assessment #AcademicSky

Through my #research I hope to contribute something to making the world a little bit better. Not that it will do much for the weather.

This was concerning from an integrity point of view and #BigData just took on a whole new dimension. How do we, or should we, use #AI (or not) in education and research? #AcademicSky

Snow, winter and #PhD #writing is what my life is about at the moment. #research

A break in my #phd #thesis #writing, a walk with the dogs 🐶 and a moment of sun ☀️

I took a break around lunch and went skiing. Absolutely wonderful. And I've sent off my thesis draft for feedback on my rewritten chapter 7, which means I can think about other things for now. #phdlife #AcademicSky @academic-chatter.bsky.social

5 hours and 40 minutes between sunrise and sunset today. #midwinter

l have so many thoughts and ideas after the AI@KI conference today.

Starting my day with tea , candle light and traditional Swedish #Lucia on tv.

On this day 12 of #ResearchAdvent I think about those who support my PhD journey: my family, friends and colleagues who put offer encouragement when needed, my fellow PhD travellers who are invaluable company, my research participants & all those @ioe.bsky.social who make this possible #AcademicSky

Submitted a second abstract for #12ICOM and I plan to be there any which way #multimodality #research

On this day 10 of #ResearchAdvent I've been thinking about the post digital, education and #methodologies. I'm not much wiser but thinking about it and how to align all that is new with the #multimodal social semiotic frame I by now know well #MMSS @jofletchersaxon.bsky.social

Day 9 of #ReserchAdvent and challenges I've faced include going around in circles with my #PhD #thesis writing. Very frustrating. I remind myself that there are other dimensions to reality as well beyond #research and #writing. Outside my window are deer, red squirrels and birds.

It snowed again. So that's one thing. Then I'm writing and working on arguments and sub-arguments in my #PhD #thesis @ioe.bsky.social. Slippery work. I think I have it sorted- then I add data extracts and realise that 'no this doesn't quite work'. Hoping to sort out one chapter today. #AcademicSky

This is highly relevant and interesting research @ioe.bsky.social #AcademicSky zenodo.org/records/1280...

Bluesky's firehose is a treasure trove of public data for researchers and developers, and it's completely free. Check out our developer docs: docs.bsky.app

The same is true for many GenAI visuals & videos. They lack a discourse semantic level, i.e. dynamic, relational mechanisms for the construction of logical structures. Especially AI videos do not feature cohesive representations of social actors or settings, they often only use parallelisms.