Plenary abstract: The impact of technology on the development of mathematics and science is evident from the case of the printing press, which resulted in the close study and development of symbolic notation to solve problems.  In today's world, Manovich (2001) sees 'new media' as the convergence of computing and media technologies where 'computerization turns media into computer data' (Manovich, 2001: 45).  Galison (2002) captures the recursive nature of the computerization process as 'images scatter into data, data gathers into images'.  The computerization process, for instance, permits the dynamic visual display of data flow which is experienced over time, 'be it in science, statistics, architecture, design, digital art, or any combination of these' (Paul, 2003: 175).  In this world, there are no constants; everything is variable and open to manipulation and thus recontextualization. The impact of digital transcoding (i.e. data <--> imagery) on mathematics and science is explored in this paper.  Does digital technology function as a tool to reproduce what already exists, or does it produce new theories and approaches to mathematics and science?  The impact of digital technology is also considered in relation to future directions for research in the humanities.

References

Galison, P. (2002).  'Images Scatter into Data, Data Gathers into Images', in Latour, B. and Weibel, P. (eds), Iconoclash:  Beyond the Image Wars in Science, Religion, and Art.  Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, pp. 300-323.
Manovich, L. (2001). The Language of New Media.  Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
Paul, C. (2003).  Digital Art. London: Thames and Hudson.

This strand/parallel session is provisionally divided into:

a) first day: to be decided

b) second day: to be decided

The strand/parallel session covers the following sectors:
Multimodal mathematical and scientific discourse; mathematical  symbolism and visual images; tools, instruments and artifacts, pedagogical implications of a multisemiotic approach to science; multimodality and science education websites; multimedia literacy and the scientific curriculum, software and technologies for multimodal analysis.

Strand organisation and presentation: to be decided.