Multimodal pedagogy

Multimodal Pedagogy

Chart using the five modes of communication to explain multimodality.
Theorists
Diana George Jody Shipka Jason Palmeri
Key concepts
Multimodality Communication Pedagogy
Major works
A Multimodal Task-Based Framework for Composing Remixing Composition: A History of Multimodal Writing Pedagogy

Multimodal pedagogy is an approach to the teaching of writing that implements different modes of communication. Multimodality refers to the use of visual, aural, linguistic, spatial, and gestural modes in differing pieces of media, each necessary to properly convey the information it presents. The visual mode conveys meaning via images and the visible elements of a text such as typography and color. The aural mode refers to sound in the form of music, sound effects, silence, etc. The linguistic mode includes written and spoken language. The spatial mode focuses on the physical arrangement of elements in a text. The gestural mode refers to physical movements such facial expressions and how these are interpreted. A multimodal text is characterized by the combination of any two or more modes to express meaning. Multimodal pedagogy encourages the use of these modes as teaching tools in the classroom to facilitate learning. Students must be able to interpret and create meaning across multiple modes to navigate a world of multimodal communication.

Background

Some compositionists, such as Jason Palmeri, have suggested that writing has always been multimodal, with writing always containing different modes, such as visual, aural, spatial, and gestural. Multimodal pedagogy in that sense has existed since before it was properly called such.

The School of Athens by Raphael portrays Ancient Greek rhetoricians Aristotle and Plato.

Rhetoric began as the art of oral persuasion, and classical rhetoric was always meant to be delivered via voice. In the 1960s, auditory art as it related to writing pedagogy began to be studied by compositionists. In his article “What Do We Mean When We Talk about Voice in Texts?” Peter Elbow introduced his audible voice theory. Elbow’s theory posits that words are multimodal and that readers experience sound in their heads even as they read silently. Audible voice theory argues that reading out loud lets writers understand how voice plays a part in writing and how text sounds to others. This understanding of speech can then improve understanding of communication and writing.

In the 1970s, the Process Theory of Composition focused on writing as a process. Linda Flower and John Hayes studied problem finding and solving, and argued this was a creative cognitive activity that writing and art had in common. This challenged the idea that writing and art were two distinct fields. Flower and Hayes also argue that writing is multimodal thinking, because writers don’t think in just words. Writing includes the forming of ideas, creation of organization and rhetorical goals, and experiencing the world through our senses.

Currently, print based literacy has undergone a transformation into hyphenated, plural or multiple literacies, acknowledging the diversity of media and information sources. Both technology and literacy are not mutually exclusive, now existing as a merged vocabulary used in current educational debates. Instructional practices, reading, learning, writing and literacy practices as a whole are being transformed, causing concern amongst teachers and educational educators, to be mediated by microcomputers, the Internet and educational software. The process of reading and writing has shifted, even though the core principles have not, going from print text into multimodal text-image information.

Teachers understand that multimodality composition assignments provide students with valuable opportunities to build their rhetoric skills. An example is an assignment that challenges students to "translate" a text based ethnography to a photo essay, which can cause a change to research ethics. In various scenarios are students able to build the following skills: to properly consider the forms of communication required in every given circumstance, to select resources and materials that will aid in the creation of an effective text, must consider the audience and meet the objectives in correspondence to them, have the finished text be and avenue for improved communication, and to have the text influence positive action.

Goals of this approach

Multimodal pedagogy aims to help students express themselves more accurately within their work. It allows them to look at their process deeply and possibly be more invested in their work. This happens by the student trying to figure out which modes work best for their subject or what they feel works best for them. With the different kinds of multimodal texts, it allows students to look at other forms of text with the thought of multimodality. Meaning they can analyze these different forms and the way they use multimodality. Each student will process it differently since there are plenty of ways to look at texts and how they use multimodality.

There are also four different ways for students to learn with each one having specific sources of learning for the learner. The four types are visual, auditory, reading/writing, and kinesthetic. Visual learners are ones that get their learning from anything that stimulates their eyes. They primarily use infographics, videos, and illustrations as their source of learning. Aural learners like to use anything they can simply listen to in order to take in information. Their sources of learning mainly come from podcasts, an audiobook, and group discussions. Reading and writing is the most traditional form of multimodal learning. These learners use documents, books, and PDF’s as their primary sources. Lastly, kinesthetic learning is one that gets its learners active. It commonly uses multiple learning types together at once. The main ways of learning are through demonstrations and multimedia presentations.

Using multimodal pedagogy is also a way to help students look at certain topics and issues with a form of text that will make them understand something better. The freedom that multimodality gives its students also gives the goal for there to be information that is similar, but tackled from different angles.  Students can look at a topic like the 2008 financial crisis and have a multitude of options on how to look at it or share the information to others. One group of students can convey the information in the form of a graph and another does it in the form of a podcast. It’s the same information essentially, but it gives more room for those who might take the information better in another way.

Application to the college writing classroom

Using a multimodal pedagogy in the classroom is beneficial towards everyone. Students who have a harder time engaging with traditional teaching methods may better engage with digital learning approaches. Technological advances have made learning more accessible to students, offering multiple approaches to the same topic. Multimodal pedagogy also allows for the development of media literacy skills and modal adaptability. Students and teachers alike can engage in a hybrid learning environment that allows for creativity and versitility.

The implementation of multimodal pedagogy into the classrooom increases productivity.

Build a learning community of teachers

Zines caption edit**

Disseminate results

[[should the steps be here as subsections? What do think, Peer Reviwer?]]

Universities such as Iowa State and Georgia Tech use a WOVE curriculum in their composition courses. The acronym stands for written, oral, visual, and electronic communication. This curriculum recognizes the interconnectedness of these communicative modes and is designed to prepare students with a range of literacy skills that extends across multiple modes and media.

Multimodal composing with Zines . CONT...

Challenges

Inexperience with new media poses a challenge for teachers in multimodal classrooms. Some teachers, such as Bremen Vance of Iowa State University, express anxiety and discomfort in incorporating new modes and technologies as they lack the skills to confidently engage with these, let alone guide students in their engagement. The rapid development of new media available to teachers further complicates the task of staying up to date and equipped with the skills to utilize these. While the multimodal pedagogical approach has expanded what qualifies as writing and how teachers can go about its instruction, thorough knowledge and planning is required in order to be effectively implemented. Writing instructors need to be able to contextualize their use of multimodal texts and lead students to rhetorically analyze how these create meaning.

Lack of resources has limited the ability of public school teachers to integrate new technologies that facilitate multimodal learning in their classrooms. Often times, they are forced to resort to older technologies and poorly functioning equipment such as overhead projectors and art supplies.