Symmetry and Asymmetry in AI-Mediated Educational Communication: Multi-Level Framework for Photographic Critical Analysis

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.26441/RC25.2-2026-4432

Keywords:

educommunication, artificial intelligence in education, visual communication, semiotics, critical visual analysis, human-computer interaction, media literacy, thematic analysis, hermeneutics, digital communication

Abstract

Purpose. This exploratory qualitative study investigates symmetry and asymmetry patterns in AI-mediated educational communication within photographic critique education, drawing on an AI artifact grounded in the Hermeneutical and Interdisciplinary Socio-Semiotic Model for a Photographic Critique (MAVIA Model). Methodology. The AI artifact was implemented with 128 undergraduate students enrolled in photography and audiovisual production courses. Building on reflexive thematic analysis (Braun and Clarke, 2019, 2021) and supported by descriptive quantitative methods, a multi-level analytical framework was developed examining three dimensions: structural symmetry in system design, epistemological symmetry in human-AI knowledge co-construction, and adaptive asymmetry in user differentiation. Results and conclusions. Results demonstrate high adoption rates (94%) and predominantly positive evaluations (68%). Three user profiles with asymmetric needs emerged: Academic (40%), Pragmatic (35%), and Artistic (25%). The study identified a pedagogical paradox whereby analytical depth constituted both the primary strength and the primary source of criticism. The development of metacritical awareness (78%) suggests a perceived epistemological calibration in human-AI collaboration. Original contributions. A multi-level symmetry theoretical framework is proposed, offering a novel contribution for the design and evaluation of AI-mediated educational communication environments that balance theoretical rigor with personalized learning experiences.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biography

  • Jacob Bañuelos-Capistrán, Tecnológico de Monterrey (México)

    Doctor en Ciencias de la Información. Profesor investigador del Departamento de Medios y Cultura Digital en la Escuela de Humanidades y Educación de la Universidad Tecnológico de Monterrey. Miembro del Sistema Nacional de Investigadores (SNI-2) de México desde 2005. Sus líneas de investigación se centran en imagen, tecnología y cultura, con publicaciones sobre fotografía, fotomontaje, cultura visual digital y comunicación mediada por tecnologías emergentes. http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1919-7088, jcapis@tec.mx

References

Bañuelos-Capistrán, J. (2023). Hermeneutical and Interdisciplinary Socio-Semiotic Model for a Photographic Critique. Case Analysis: Max Siedentopf, How to Survive a Deadly Global Virus, 2020. Photographies, 16, 316–335. https://doi.org/10.1080/17540763.2023.2185661 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/17540763.2023.2185661

Bañuelos-Capistrán, J. (2025). Sociosemiotic Image Analysis [AI Analysis Tool Developed with Claude/Anthropic]. https://claude.ai/public/artifacts/feeb6f12-c4af-4670-8afa-d89bbedd691a

Bañuelos-Capistrán, J. (2026). Dataset for: Symmetry and Asymmetry in AI-Mediated Visual Critical Analysis [dataset]. Mendeley Data, v1. https://doi.org/10.17632/5np57cnjhf.1

Aparici, R., Crovi, D., Ferrés, J., Gabelas, J. A., Matilla, A. G., Martín, A. G., ... y Valderrama, C. (2010). Educomunicación: más allá del 2.0. Gedisa Editorial.

Bayly-Castañeda, K., Ramirez-Montoya, M. S. y Morita-Alexander, A. (2024). Crafting Personalized Learning Paths with AI for Lifelong Learning: A Systematic Literature Review. Frontiers in Education, 9, 1424386. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2024.1424386 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2024.1424386

Braun, V. y Clarke, V. (2006). Using Thematic Analysis in Psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77–101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa DOI: https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa

Braun, V. y Clarke, V. (2019). Reflecting on Reflexive Thematic Analysis. Qualitative Research in Sport, Exercise and Health, 11(4), 589–597. https://doi.org/10.1080/2159676X.2019.1628806 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/2159676X.2019.1628806

Braun, V. y Clarke, V. (2021). One Size Fits All? What Counts as Quality Practice in (Reflexive) Thematic Analysis? Qualitative Research in Psychology, 18(3), 328–352. https://doi.org/10.1080/14780887.2020.1769238 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/14780887.2020.1769238

Brusilovsky, P. y Millán, E. (2007). User Models for Adaptive Hypermedia and Adaptive Educational Systems. En The Adaptive Web (pp. 3–53). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-72079-9_1 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-72079-9_1

Buckingham, D. (2019). The Media Education Manifesto. Polity Press.

Creswell, J. W. y Plano Clark, V. L. (2017). Designing and Conducting Mixed Methods Research (3.ª ed.). Sage Publications.

De Oliveira Soares, I. (2009). Caminos de la educomunicación: utopías, confrontaciones, reconocimientos. Nómadas, (30), 194–207.

Essa, S. G., Çelik, T. y Human-Hendricks, N. E. (2023). Personalized Adaptive Learning Technologies Based on Machine Learning Techniques to Identify Learning Styles: A Systematic Literature Review. IEEE Access, 11, 48392–48409. https://doi.org/10.1109/ACCESS.2023.3276439 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1109/ACCESS.2023.3276439

Ferrés, J. y Piscitelli, A. (2012). Media competence. Articulated proposal of dimensions and indicators. [La competencia mediática: propuesta articulada de dimensiones e indicadores]. Comunicar, 38, 75-82. https://doi.org/10.3916/C38-2012-02-08 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3916/C38-2012-02-08

Gadamer, H.-G. (2004). Truth and method (J. Weinsheimer y D. G. Marshall, Trads.; 2.ª ed. revisada). Continuum. (Obra original publicada en 1960).

Hassenzahl, M. (2004). The Interplay of Beauty, Goodness and Usability in Interactive Products. Human-Computer Interaction, 19(4), 319–349. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327051hci1904_2 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327051hci1904_2

Hassenzahl, M. y Tractinsky, N. (2006). User Experience — A Research Agenda. Behaviour and Information Technology, 25(2), 91–97. https://doi.org/10.1080/01449290500330331 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/01449290500330331

Holstein, K., McLaren, B. M. y Aleven, V. (2018). Student Learning Benefits of a Mixed-Reality Teacher Awareness Tool in AI-Enhanced Classrooms. En Proceedings of the International Conference on Artificial Intelligence in Education (AIED 2018), London, UK, 27–30 June 2018 (pp. 154–168). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-93843-1_12 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-93843-1_12

Jameson, A. (2007). Adaptive Interfaces and Agents. En The Human-Computer Interaction Handbook (pp. 459–484). CRC Press. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1201/9781410615862-33

Kress, G. y van Leeuwen, T. (2020). Reading Images: The Grammar of Visual Design (3.ª ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003099857 DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003099857

Lavie, T. y Tractinsky, N. (2004). Assessing Dimensions of Perceived Visual Aesthetics of Web Sites. International Journal of Human-Computer Studies, 60(3), 269–298. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhcs.2003.09.002 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhcs.2003.09.002

Lee, J. D. y See, K. A. (2004). Trust in Automation: Designing for Appropriate Reliance. Human Factors, 46(1), 50–80. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1518/hfes.46.1.50.30392

Luckin, R., Holmes, W., Griffiths, M. y Forcier, L. B. (2016). Intelligence Unleashed: An Argument for AI in Education. Pearson.

Martín-Barbero, J. (1987). De los medios a las mediaciones: Comunicación, cultura y hegemonía. Gustavo Gili.

Molenaar, I. (2022). Towards Hybrid Human-AI Learning Technologies. European Journal of Education, 57(4), 632–645. https://doi.org/10.1111/ejed.12527 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/ejed.12527

Morris, C. W. (1985). Fundamentos de la teoría de los signos (Trad. española). Paidós.

Moran, M. J. y Tegano, D. W. (2005). Moving toward Visual Literacy: Photography as a Language of Teacher Inquiry. Early Childhood Research & Practice, 7(1).

Ngo, D. C. L., Teo, L. S. y Byrne, J. G. (2003). Modelling Interface Aesthetics. Information Sciences, 152, 25–46. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0020-0255(02)00404-8 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0020-0255(02)00404-8

Nielsen, J. (1999). Designing Web Usability: The Practice of Simplicity. New Riders Publishing.

Norman, D. A. (2013). The design of everyday things. MIT Press.

Novomisky, S. y Le Voci Sayad, A. (Eds.). (2025). Alfabetización mediática e informacional en la era de la inteligencia artificial: Cultura digital y educomunicación. Grupo Comunicar Ediciones.

Parasuraman, R. y Riley, V. (1997). Humans and Automation: Use, Misuse, Disuse, Abuse. Human Factors, 39(2), 230–253. https://doi.org/10.1518/001872097778543886 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1518/001872097778543886

Roda, C. y Thomas, J. (2006). Attention Aware Systems: Theories, Applications, and Research Agenda. Computers in Human Behavior, 22(4), 557–587. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2005.12.005 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2005.12.005

Rose, G. (2022). Visual Methodologies: An Introduction to Researching with Visual Materials (5.ª ed.). Sage Publications.

Scolari, C. A. (Ed.). (2015). Ecología de los medios: entornos, evoluciones e interpretaciones. Gedisa.

Shneiderman, B., Plaisant, C., Cohen, M., Jacobs, S., Elmqvist, N. y Diakopoulos, N. (2016). Designing the User Interface: Strategies for Effective Human-Computer Interaction (6.ª ed.). Pearson.

Sonesson, G. (2015). Semiotics of Photography: The State of the Art. En International Handbook of Semiotics (pp. 417–483). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-9404-6_19 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-9404-6_19

Tractinsky, N. (1997). Aesthetics and Apparent Usability: Empirically Assessing Cultural and Methodological Issues. En Proceedings of the ACM SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI '97), Atlanta, GA, USA, 22–27 March 1997 (pp. 115–122). https://doi.org/10.1145/258549.258626 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1145/258549.258626

Tractinsky, N., Katz, A. S. e Ikar, D. (2000). What is Beautiful is Usable. Interacting with Computers, 13(2), 127–145. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0953-5438(00)00031-X DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0953-5438(00)00031-X

Tuch, A. N., Roth, S. P., Hornbæk, K., Opwis, K. y Bargas-Avila, J. A. (2012). Is Beautiful Really Usable? Toward Understanding the Relation between Usability, Aesthetics, and Affect in HCI. Computers in Human Behavior, 28(5), 1596–1607. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2012.03.024 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2012.03.024

van Schaik, P. y Ling, J. (2009). The Role of Context in Perceptions of the Aesthetics of Web Pages over Time. International Journal of Human-Computer Studies, 67(1), 79–89. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhcs.2008.09.012 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhcs.2008.09.012

Zawacki-Richter, O., Marín, V. I., Bond, M. y Gouverneur, F. (2019). Systematic Review of Research on Artificial Intelligence Applications in Higher Education — Where Are the Educators? International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 16, 39. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41239-019-0171-0 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s41239-019-0171-0

Downloads

Published

2026-07-16

How to Cite

Bañuelos-Capistrán, J. (2026). Symmetry and Asymmetry in AI-Mediated Educational Communication: Multi-Level Framework for Photographic Critical Analysis. Revista De Comunicación, 25(2), 139-160. https://doi.org/10.26441/RC25.2-2026-4432