A_Small-Scale_Exploratory_Study_on_Omani_College_Students__Perception_of_Pragmatic_Meaning_Embedded_in_Memes_2

Page 1: Introduction to the Study

Title: A Small-Scale Exploratory Study on Omani College Students’ Perception of Pragmatic Meaning Embedded in Memes
Author: Maher Al Rashdi, Centre for Foundation Studies, Middle East College, Muscat, Oman
Abstract Highlights:
- Definition of memes: Pictures with texts conveying humorous messages on social media.
- Increasing popularity among teenagers, treating cultural-social norms through memes.
- Lack of research at the intersection of memes and education.
- Study focus: Omani students' perceptions of meme usage in education.
- Methodology: Observation of 29 students with five memes, followed by a questionnaire to gauge perceptions.
- Findings: High ability to infer pragmatic meanings, positive attitudes towards using memes in the classroom.
- Significance: Expands literature on discourse analysis and memes.

Expansion on Memes:
- Memes differ from standard pictures; they convey messages via visual and textual elements.
- Emphasizes the urgency of researching memes' impact on education.
- Study objectives: Assess students' ability to infer pragmatic meanings and their perceptions of memes in class.
- Utilizes qualitative and quantitative tools for comprehensive data analysis.

Definitions:
- Semantic Meaning: Literal meaning, independent of context.
- Pragmatics: Contextual interpretation of meaning in discourse.

Historical Context:
- Coined by Richard Dawkins in 1976, originally referred to cultural behaviors akin to genes.
- Evolvement into internet memes, gaining popularity through digital culture.
- Impact on culture: Memes disseminate ideas and reflect social values.

Key Findings:
- Harshavardhan et al. (2019): Memes motivate engagement in ESL classrooms.
- Purnama et al. (2018): Positive attitudes from students in meme creation activities.
- Romero and Bobkina (2017): Memes improve visual literacy and participation in learning.
Future Recommendations:
- More research needed on the effectiveness of memes across varying educational contexts.

Study involves 29 students at Middle East College using methodological observations and questionnaires.
Observation Goals: To assess students’ abilities to derive meanings from memes.

Observation Process:
- Initial awareness of memes was low among students.
- Five memes discussed in groups to determine inferred meanings.
Evaluation Metrics: Correct, partial, incorrect categorizations for group responses.

Meme One (Homework):
- Majority inferred collaboration issues related to homework sharing.
Meme Two (Music Taste):
- Strong consensus on interpretations related to personal taste in music.

Meme Three (Education):
- Participants accurately interpreted underlying issues within educational systems.
Meme Four (USA & Oil):
- General agreement about political commentary; some confusion among a few students.

Meme Five (Poverty):
- Varied interpretations of implied messages regarding cultural representation and poverty.

Discussion Points:
- Positive perceptions of using memes for educational purposes.
- Need for better awareness of context and background knowledge among students.

Students reported difficulty with complex societal memes, indicating a correlation with personal engagement and media literacy.

Students expressed strong interest in incorporating memes into educational frameworks.

Conclusion:
- Memes can serve as effective teaching tools to enhance pragmatic understanding in students.
- Future research should expand the sample size and explore varied educational methods using memes.'

Recommended to conduct more extensive studies to evaluate memes' effects on various language skills.

Maher Al Rashdi:
- Background in English language teaching, involved in integrating technology into education.
Research Interests: Focus on using technology to enhance learning outcomes.