Knowledge gains

The survey participants were asked to rate their learning success in different categories on a scale from “very much” to “not at all”. For data analysis, numbers were used instead of the response options, in order to enable statistical calculations (1=very much, 2 quite a lot, 3=a little, 4=not really, 5= not at all). The listed categories are the following: vocabulary, phrases, grammar, overall understanding, stereotypes, society and “a specific topic”. While the answers

“very much” (1), “quite a lot” (2) and “a little” (3) imply a range from small to major learning achievement, the responses “not really” (4) and “not at all” (4) imply no or only a very limited form of learning success. As the numerical distribution of responses of all memes is rather similar or equal, I decided to sum the number of responses of all memes for each response option. Afterwards, I calculated the statistical values by using the sum of responses for each response option. Hence, I opted for a general statistical calculation that included the data of all memes, instead of focusing on the statistical analysis of each meme individually.

Statement 1: I learned something from this meme regarding vocabulary.

It is true for all illustrated memes that the number of students who claim not to have learned anything from this meme outweighs the number of students who claim to have noticed a learning success in regards to vocabulary. The number of students, who have not gained any vocabulary knowledge lies above 30 in almost all of the cases, which equals a percentage of more than 50% of all respondents. In contrast, the numbers of the Simpson Coronavirus Meme show that more than 40 participants claim to have expanded their vocabulary by looking at this meme. Due to a rather equilibrated distribution of responses, the general mean value is 3,63 (x̅=

3,63, σ= 1,27) and the median value is 4. Hence, it can be stated that the participants have learned that rather little to few new vocabulary from the illustrated memes.

Figure 4.15: Vocabulary Gains

very much quite a lot a little not really not at all

Learned vocabulary

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Statement 2: I learned something from this meme regarding the use of phrases.

Results show that, similarly to the statistics of Statement 1, most participants agree on a rather poor function of the memes as a learning aid with regard to the use of phrases. Aside from the Swedish Kid Meme, which has a higher number of responses that imply a learning success in relation to the respective issue, rather than yielding no improvements at all, the other memes’

statistics show that more than 50% of all respondents were not able to observe any gains in knowledge regarding the use of phrases. Due to the fact, that, in average, the number of responses is quite equally distributed, the same calculation technique that has been used for the statistical analysis of Statement 1 is applied. The arithmetic means of two memes, the Heaven and Hell Meme and the Swedish Kid Meme, illustrate this rather equilibrated distribution. The statistics of the Heaven and Hell Meme yield a mean value of 3,557 (x̅= 3,5573, σ= 1,258631), while the arithmetic mean of the Swedish Kid Meme is 3,606 (x̅= 3,606, σ= 1,294587). Hence, the statistical values are not calculated and presented of each meme individually. Instead, the sum of responses for each response option of all memes combined is used for further calculations, which yields a mean value of 3,59 (x̅= 3,59, σ= 1,279). The arithmetic mean implies that respondents noticed a slight learning success through the illustrated memes regarding the use of phrases. Nevertheless, a tendency towards a rather poor learning success can be discerned. This is emphasized by the further statistics, as the median value, which is 4, and the mode value of 5. Both values imply that the respondents have not learned new phrases or expanded their knowledge on the use of phrases by looking and the presented memes.

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Learned phrases

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Figure 4.16: Phrases Gains

Statement 3: I learned something from this meme regarding grammar.

No other statement has more disagreement and encounters more dissent than this one. It is the only statement that counts more negative than positive answers in all 12 memes. Moreover, it is true for most memes that the responses “not really” and “not at all” count more than 35 responses. These numbers are reflected in the statistics. Amongst all statements, Statement 3 has the highest arithmetic mean, which is 3,69 (x̅= 3,69, σ= 1,267). Moreover, the median value is 4 and the mode value is 5. While the median and the mode value imply that the survey participants have not learned grammatical structures or rules from the illustrated memes, the mean value implies that very little has been learned. Nevertheless, the tendency towards no learning success regarding grammar is rather evident, as the mean value is rather close to 4, which represents the response option “not really” and thus means that the respondents did not learn any new grammar.

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Learned grammar

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Figure 4.17: Grammar Gains

Statement 4: I learned something from this meme regarding the overall understanding of a text/text comprehension.

According to the numbers that can be seen in the graph (cf. Figure 4.18), the majority of the respondents did not learn something from this meme regarding overall understanding of a text or text comprehension. Nevertheless, the numbers concerning the answers that show a slight consent with this statement are clearly higher compared to the previously mentioned statements.

This is also reflected in the arithmetic mean, which is 3,49 (x̅= 3,494, σ= 1,243) and hence closer to 3 than to 4, which has not been the case in the previous statements. Even though the median value is 4 and the mode value is 5, which would imply no improvement in overall understanding, the mean value being closer to 3 shows that, according to the participants, the illustrated memes have helped the participants to improve their overall understanding to a low extent. Again, the equal and equilibrated distribution allowed a general statistical calculation, rather than an individual one.

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Learned text comprehension

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Figure 4.18: Text comprehension improvement

Statement 5: I learned something from this meme regarding stereotypes.

As can be seen in the graph (cf. Figure 4.19), the Pineapplepizza Meme and the Heaven and Hell Meme favor the learning of stereotypes, while the Leonardo di Caprio Meme and the Bananas Meme do not serve as a tool to learn about this topic. While the mean value of the Pineapplepizza Meme is 2,88 (x̅= 2,885246, σ= 1,355217) and the Heaven and Hell Meme has a mean value of 2,65 (x̅= 2,655738, σ= 1,352593), the Leonardo di Caprio Meme has a higher arithmetic mean of 3,57 (x̅= 3,57377, σ= 1,189664) and the mean value of the Bananas Meme is 3,72 (x̅= 3,721311, σ= 1,185062). Concerning the other memes, the distribution of responses is rather equal. Hence, the arithmetic mean regarding the expansion of knowledge in regards to stereotypes of all memes in general is 3,289 (x̅= 3,289, σ= 1,34). The median and the mode value are both 3. Hence, it can be stated that the respondents have learned a little concerning stereotypes from the memes presented in the questionnaire.

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Learned about stereotypes

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Figure 4.19: Learn about stereotypes

Statement 6: I learned something from this meme regarding society.

The graph (cf. Figure 4.20) shows a rather equilibrated distribution amongst the responses of the respective memes. While the previous graphs and statistics have shown a clearer tendency towards the participants’ disagreement with the statements, claiming that they have not learned much or anything from the memes included in the questionnaire regarding vocabulary, grammar, phrases etc., Figure 4.20 shows less polarized results. This is also reflected in the statistics, which are analyzed equally to the previous statements’ statistical values. The mean value is 3,12 (x̅= 3,124, σ= 1,349) and the median and the mode value are both 3. The values, in particular the arithmetic mean, are slightly better compared to the previous results. All values imply that the survey participants have learned a little regarding society from the illustrated memes.

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Learned about society

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Figure 4.20: Learn about society

Statement 7: I learned something from this meme regarding a specific topic.

While most memes have a rather equilibrated and equal number of responses, the Bananas Meme and the Trump Meme stand out positively, while the Swedish Kid Meme shows more negative results compared to the general statistical values of this statement. As most response options have rather equal numbers for all memes, the arithmetic mean for this statement is 3,06 (x̅=3,0669, ϭ=1,397), implying that in general respondents have learned a little about a specific topic from all memes. This is emphasized by the median and mode value that equal 3 and hence the response option “a little”. Compared to this, the mean value of the Bananas Meme is 2,688 (x̅=2,688525, ϭ=1,408794) and the mean value of the Trump Meme is 2,67 (x̅=2,672131, ϭ=1,445929), which both imply that the respondents have learned slightly more regarding a specific topic from these memes than from all memes in general. The Swedish Kid Meme presents a mean value of 3,47 (x̅=3,47541, ϭ=1,409569), which is lower than the general arithmetic mean and hence shows that respondents have learned less regarding a specific topic from this meme than in average from all memes.

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Learned about a specific topic

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Figure 4.21: Learn about specific topic