So I think that this is a perfect example of why Spatial Literacy is such an important 21st Century skill for people to learn.
Let’s talk about how to read these pages/panels, shall we?
I think that it is safe to assume that the most likely phrase for the post to be communicating is, “All Are Welcome In This Space!”. If that’s true, then there’s a problem. The way that the board is set up does not make reading that phrase easy...Â
The first two pages/panels set up the (presumable) reading pattern. With this in mind, the board can either read “All Are Welcome In Space! This” (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) or “All are in This Welcome Space!” (1, 3, 5, 2, 4).Â
But, as we’ve agreed, neither of those are what the board is trying to say. In this case, we need to break the implied reading pattern and follow an uncharacteristic and unpredictable pattern (1, 2, 3, 5, 4).
Now, I’m not saying that the board is unreadable. With a little effort, anyone can crack the pattern and figure out what the board is communicating. However, the problem is that there is destructive friction here that makes the interpretation of the board unnecessarily complicated.Â
Now, don’t get me wrong; I am an advocate for the meaningful and intentional inclusion of friction in literacy education. In fact, my paper at the upcoming UBCO Digital Pedagogies Symposium will be focused on this exact topic (and how digital comics can help demonstrate this). However, the friction included here is not constructive.Â
Constructive Friction is defined as “a challenge for students to increase their skill in a learning or thinking strategy” (Vermunt and Verloop qtd. in McKenna and Chaucey 2508). Texts that include elements of constructive friction are designed to intentionally embrace that friction as a way to enhance learning. Young Kiwi provides an excellent example of constructive friction in his digital comic, Wild Life: https://abwaesser.net/comic/wildlife/.
In the case of this board though, the intention is to get the message of inclusivity across as cleanly and quickly as possible. In that, the board fails because it’s understanding of spatial modalities is limited, or underdeveloped, causing it to become less clear. The reader stumbles across the reading pattern which causes comprehension to be slowed down.
The easiest way to solve this problem would be to swap 4 and 5. If “This” was in the 4th spot and “Space!” was in the 5th, the reading pattern would be clear and the spatial orientation would be clean and accurate.
It might be a small example, but it’s a really good one!