Static-dynamic imagery technology allows for more pictures to be displayed in the same virtual "real estate" or space that a static image would occupy--pretty much as many as an author/designer wants as long as it doesn't slow down the connection too much. The representation practices are increased on this updated version of WSU’s homepage because readers may encounter any number of the six possible images that rotate randomly. Consequently, there are more chances to see something you may identify with. If you refresh your browser or exit and then return to this page you'll see how it works in the picture to your left.
Static-dynamic technology randomly selects—at least from what we could tell—different images to represent the school. Re-visitors to the site will probably see a different representation when they revisit.
Authors/designers could regularly change the imagery.
Representational Affordances
The pictures all emphasize intimacy and face-to-face interactions between faculty and students, which connects directly to WSU’s motto, “World Class. Face to Face.”
Through the six images, one sees the many ways female students can be involved in face-to-face interactions with teachers and the one way a male student can interact with teachers.
Through the six images, faculty and students are represented as being multiracial/diverse.
Similarly, faculty and students are represented as male and female (though the students are primarily female).
Faculty have a diverse age-range.
constraints
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Technological Constraints
Because the audience has to refresh or leave the page and return to it to see the other five images, it doesn’t encourage readers to watch or see all the possible synecdoches for WSU—especially if he/she doesn't visit the site again.
An author/designer needs a little more skill to implement static-dynamic imagery than he/she needs for static imagery.
Though the random imagery or vision could be even more dynamic by being changed regularly, it might not be changed regularly depending on the web culture of the institution’s designers.
Representational Constraints
The images represent professors as male or female, but students as primarily female. The only male students pictured in all six images are in the image of several students with the musical instruments.
In all the intimate one-on-one (face-to-face) shots, the students are all female, sending the message male students don’t need intimate, one-on-one education.
Because the pictures all emphasize intimacy and face-to-face interactions between faculty and students, the homepage defines education as ONLY and necessarily intimate and face-to-face.
Students are represented as young, traditional college age. We don’t see older, nontraditional students in the images.