Multimodal Learning Environments

1
Multimodal Learning Environments

• Presentation for Think About It Conference 17
  June 2005
• Dr Maureen Walsh
• Australian Catholic University
• m.walsh_at_mary.acu.edu.au

2
(No Transcript)
3
(No Transcript)
4
(No Transcript)
5
(No Transcript)
6

• The young person who watches digital TV,
  downloads MP3 music onto a personal player,
  checks e-mail on a personal organiser and sends
  symbolised messages to a mobile phone of a friend
  will not be satisfied with a 500-word revision
  guide for HSC physics.
• Abbot, 2003

7
Researchers contende.g.Kress (2003) Bearne
(2003) Unsworth (2001) Callow Zammitt (2002)

• Language-based pedagogy is no longer sufficient
  for literacy practices needed.
• Students need multiple literacy practices or
  multiliteracies.
• Theories of reading have been drawn from the
  reading of monomodal or print-based texts.

8

• Heath (2000) Neurobiological changes are
  occurring as a result of new modes of
  communication.
• Better theories of learning are embedded in
  video games than many children in primary and
  secondary schools ever experience in the
  classroom. (Gee, 2003) encourage children
  to be more critical, constructive reflective.
• Computer games require concentration, forward
  planning, lateral thinking sustained problem
  solving (Johnson)

• .

9
Theory of Multimodality (Kress Van Leeuwen,
2001 Kress et al, 2001 Kress, 2003)

• emerged from attempts to conceptualise changed
  learning literacy practices visual literacy,
  technoliteracy, e-literacy, digital/silicon
  literacy, multiliteracies.
• communication occurs through different but
  synchronous modes language, print, images,
  graphics, movement, gesture, texture, music,
  sound.

10
Multimodal texts -2 or more modes

• READING
• Picture books and information texts
• Talking books
• CDRom narratives and factual texts
• E-books
• Web-sites, web search, web quests, book raps
• Games, DVDs
• Emails, discussion boards.

• PRODUCING
• Emails, discussion boards
• Slide shows KidPix/ power point
• Digital photos
• Digital videos, i-movies
• Video editing
• E-books
• Web sites / home page
• SMS messaging

11
Multimodal Learning Environments

• Incorporate a range of tasks that require a
  constant interchange with others and with texts
  using the modes of speech, print, image,
  movement, gesture and sound.

12
Multimodal Learning and Literacy Project 2004
ACU, CEO Sydney CEO Parramatta

• Purpose
• to examine how students read and interact with
  visual and multimodal texts in different
  curriculum areas, and
• to examine what types of learning and or literacy
  are apparent in students' interactions with such
  texts.

13
14 Teachers developed a range of tasks with
multimodal texts, K-8

• Students majority ESL worked in small groups
• Used one or more multimodal text web site, CD
  Rom, picture book, information text, DVD
• Tasks integrated different curriculum areas
• Sequence of tasks were developed over several
  lessons. These frequently resulted in a

14

• Multimodal
• Learning
• Environment

15
1) Year 2 Picture Book and CD Rom

• Chn listened to the words /print of the story
  Grandma and Me
• Drew their own illustrations of the story.
• Read the CD Rom version.
• Played the CD Rom game.
• Discussed with teacher the differences between
  the print / CDRom story.
• Video
  clip

16
2) What were these children learning?

• Prediction, visualisation, decoding, making
  meaning - shared talk with teacher produced own
  visual text
• Read responded to CD Rom shared together
  auditory/ visual/ gestural / kinaesthetic
  responses
• Compared features of book with CD Rom
  metatextual awareness/metacognition

17
3) Yr 3 Web Quest Power Point

• Pairs of Ss completed web quest on Gallipoli
  Anzac Day questions from T as guide.
• Collated findings into an information report then
  into Power Point.
• Presented to whole class.
• Answered questions/comments from class members
  about their learning/process.
• 
  Video clip

18
What were these children learning?

• Understanding the historical and geographical
  events of Gallipoli.
• Insights into the culture of Anzac Day.
• Search skills, reading interpreting questions,
  following links, locating synthesising
  information.
• Developing power point organising information
  in own words, technical production skills
• Oral presentation skills responses, peer
  support

19
4) Yrs 3-4 Visual literacy

• Ts used Gorilla, to develop Ss background
  knowledge of visual codes,
• Groups applied to range of picture books e.g. An
  Ordinary Day, Advertisements from local paper,
  1st Harry Potter film.
• Ss used digital cameras to compose photos
  applying visual codes.
• Ss participated in Book Raps with other schools
  activities e.g. dramatisation, photos, p/point,
  survey, journal responses

20
What were these children learning?

• Visual codes angles, framing, colour,
  demands/offers/salience etc how they construct
  meaning. metalanguage.
• Application articulation of this knowledge to
  other texts/products.
• Peer collaboration, reflective learning, creative
  engagement, critical awareness, critical literacy
  deep learning evident.
• Online communication learning.

21
5) Yr 4 Scaffolded Web Quest

• Ss in mixed ability groups research 2 Aust
  animals using websites/information books
• Whole class retrieval chart provided as scaffold
  Ss recorded information.
• Ts provided continual scaffolding of knowledge,
  skills language.
• Ss compared contrasted 2 animals from chart.
  Synthesised into concept map.
• Produced information report on powerpoint.
  Video clip

22
What were these children learning?

• Science content re animals, content vocabulary
  language.
• Technology skills of searching/navigating
  locating, comprehending, synthesising recording
  main facts.
• S talking was to process learning peer support.
• Oral written knowledge from websites to
  retrieval chart to powerpoint - developed
  through T. scaffolding

23
Other examples

• Year 8 Secondary students evaluated web quests
  and developed home pages. For further Secondary
  egs see Beavis 2002
• Year 6 class digital videoing, i-movies and
  video editing with Secondary boys.
• Year 6 developed animation in advertisements
• Year 6 developed products using Inspiration
  software.

24
Findings Literacy

• Decoding not an apparent problem in some cases
  Ss read aloud to help each other. Coding
  practice
• Comprehension developed as Ss were motivated to
  find information collaborated. Semantic
  practice Many found recording information in
  own words the most difficult.
• Only some instances of critical practice.
• Metalanguage of visual grammar / digital codes
  assisted Ss literacy learning.
• Literacy embedded within integrated, purposeful
  tasks.

25
Findings - Learning

• Talking enhanced Ss learning as they talked
  through the process of the tasks and their
  understanding of the texts and curriculum
  content.
• Peer support and collaborative learning occurred.
• Evidence of problem solving, reflective thinking,
  metacognition, deep learning, creative thinking.
• Ss articulation of their learning- revealing.

26
Implications

• Multimodal learning environments can provide
  stimulating engagement in learning and literacy
  when
• tasks are carefully planned in a logical,
  coherent sequence,
• integrated with curriculum content and skills,
  and
• Ss are able to respond to and use different modes
  of communication.

27

• Whats our childrens working environment going
  to be like in the future?
• Will it look like their gaming life, where
  theyre checking 5 emails while having a
  conversation, while moving through these virtual
  worlds, or is it going to look like reading a
  book?
• If were going to train kids for that future, we
  probably need environments that are going to
  reflect what its really going to be like.
  (Johnson, in SMH 3 June 2005)

28
Survey of 350 students

• Majority read books, particularly novels did
  not find reading difficult or boring.
• Larger nos of students either watched TV, played
  digital games than read in their spare time.
• Majority enjoyed using the internet in their
  spare time and never found it boring -
  commented that they did not have trouble
  navigating it and did not need help from older
  people.
• Larger no of students said they found it easier
  to read on a screen than printed page.
• Internet use was dependent on access at home.
• Older students used emails more frequently than
  younger students.

29
(No Transcript)