Multimodality in the Classroom
I have been afraid of using multimodal assignments in my classes, because I thought that they are hard to grade and that I needed to be technology literate in all the possible technologies that the students might use in a multimodal assignment. I never thought that I too can learn and experiment as the students are completing their multimodal assignments with the students. As Mickey Hess states, "faculty will want to spend some time creating their own multimodal texts as they design and finalize assignments (33). As I mentioned early in previous blogs, I come form a culture and teaching backgrounds that values lecture over having students or learner centered class. Multimodality will definitely add many dimension to teachers of writing. It bridges the gap between what can be educational and entertaining or creative in the class. Multimodality enhances students communication with teachers and each other in the classroom, as they will be using different multimodal modes to communicate their ideas. One major aspect that has encouraged me to use multimodal assignments is the new digital technology and how easily one can communicate and use these technology.
From the resources we have read, I have found out that there are many ways teachers can integrate multimodality. In chapter 3, Mickey Hess, states that "teachers who compose the best assignments, then, don't outline a step-by-step procedure for students to follow; instead they create assignments that prompt writers to think in new ways" (29). Hess also makes an important recommendation, while pushing teachers to make what he calls as open-ended assignments, he urges teachers to consider three components; theory, structure and choice, and circulation. The teachers have to think about theory, not only the choice of including multimodal assignments, but also which "assignments are amenable to the affordances of different modalities" (30). The teachers should also consider structure and choice in the multimodal composition, where teachers should "leave plenty of room for c choices within a structure that outlines goals and objectives for students" (30). As for circulation, teachers should allow the students to think about authentic audience, or real world audiences and this adds to the agency of the assignment (30). The most important aspect o the multimodal composition process is the types of structures and types of choice. Hess gives great points for teachers to consider with regards to this issue. Hess asks teachers to allow students the choice of composition modalities, whether it is to use audio, video, print, or a mixture of these elements and consider collaborative work where students can become a "community of learners" (32). At the end of a multimodal assignment, Hess advises faculty to include a written reflection because "it encourages critical thinking and deepens the learning that multimodal assignments demand" (33). Reflection can be done by giving students different prompts to respond to at the end of the assignment. Other important aspects that Hess mentions are including multimodal assignments within the course and consider the time that teachers wants students to spend on the assignment in class or outside of class, as well as inviting experts to help students work better in a digital environment (36).
One other challenge that might face teachers in composing multimodal assignments is collaborating. While Hess prompts teachers to consider collaborative work on multimodal assignments by students, he acknowledges the challenges and set backs for such a choice. Anne Marie Pedersen and Carolyn Skinner identify THREE of these changeless. One is that students might find "that limitations of the technology prohibit working simultaneously" (44). For example, if a class has access to one video camera, then the teacher will need to "from larger teams of collaborates" or the teacher may ask students to have collaborative project logs (44). The second challenge is that some students may chose to work on some parts of the project but not others. While some students will do all the technological work, other in that group will learn very little about the technology used in the project. That is why teachers should ask students in a group to work on all aspects of the project, or even asks them to work on the part of the project that makes them feel uncomfortable. The third challenge is that students might "struggle to create a shared vision for the project" (45). That is why teachers again should insist that students not only complete the project but also have some successful discussions, analysis and understanding (45).
In Chapter 5, Daniel Keller gives a great short list of specialized terms that help students "practice using these terms as they engage in rhetorical analyses of multimodal texts" (53). Rhetoric teachers should introduce students to these terms in case they are using video, or audio analysis. Some of these terms are point of view, camera angle, soundscape, keynote, establishing shot, fade out and fade in , and affordance. I think this vocabulary will help students work in multimodal projects, if they have never been exposed to these assignments, as these terms are springboards for their major multimodal projects. Connected to these key terms is the information that Ball Point provides to students about multimodality. I think that having students read this chapter before or along with presenting them with the assignment should be a great way to introduce them to these kinds of assignments.
Considering all of the above, and as a teacher who will be using multimodality more in her classrooms, I have come up with this important checklist for teachers that want to compose and take on any kind of multimodal assignment:
From the resources we have read, I have found out that there are many ways teachers can integrate multimodality. In chapter 3, Mickey Hess, states that "teachers who compose the best assignments, then, don't outline a step-by-step procedure for students to follow; instead they create assignments that prompt writers to think in new ways" (29). Hess also makes an important recommendation, while pushing teachers to make what he calls as open-ended assignments, he urges teachers to consider three components; theory, structure and choice, and circulation. The teachers have to think about theory, not only the choice of including multimodal assignments, but also which "assignments are amenable to the affordances of different modalities" (30). The teachers should also consider structure and choice in the multimodal composition, where teachers should "leave plenty of room for c choices within a structure that outlines goals and objectives for students" (30). As for circulation, teachers should allow the students to think about authentic audience, or real world audiences and this adds to the agency of the assignment (30). The most important aspect o the multimodal composition process is the types of structures and types of choice. Hess gives great points for teachers to consider with regards to this issue. Hess asks teachers to allow students the choice of composition modalities, whether it is to use audio, video, print, or a mixture of these elements and consider collaborative work where students can become a "community of learners" (32). At the end of a multimodal assignment, Hess advises faculty to include a written reflection because "it encourages critical thinking and deepens the learning that multimodal assignments demand" (33). Reflection can be done by giving students different prompts to respond to at the end of the assignment. Other important aspects that Hess mentions are including multimodal assignments within the course and consider the time that teachers wants students to spend on the assignment in class or outside of class, as well as inviting experts to help students work better in a digital environment (36).One other challenge that might face teachers in composing multimodal assignments is collaborating. While Hess prompts teachers to consider collaborative work on multimodal assignments by students, he acknowledges the challenges and set backs for such a choice. Anne Marie Pedersen and Carolyn Skinner identify THREE of these changeless. One is that students might find "that limitations of the technology prohibit working simultaneously" (44). For example, if a class has access to one video camera, then the teacher will need to "from larger teams of collaborates" or the teacher may ask students to have collaborative project logs (44). The second challenge is that some students may chose to work on some parts of the project but not others. While some students will do all the technological work, other in that group will learn very little about the technology used in the project. That is why teachers should ask students in a group to work on all aspects of the project, or even asks them to work on the part of the project that makes them feel uncomfortable. The third challenge is that students might "struggle to create a shared vision for the project" (45). That is why teachers again should insist that students not only complete the project but also have some successful discussions, analysis and understanding (45).
In Chapter 5, Daniel Keller gives a great short list of specialized terms that help students "practice using these terms as they engage in rhetorical analyses of multimodal texts" (53). Rhetoric teachers should introduce students to these terms in case they are using video, or audio analysis. Some of these terms are point of view, camera angle, soundscape, keynote, establishing shot, fade out and fade in , and affordance. I think this vocabulary will help students work in multimodal projects, if they have never been exposed to these assignments, as these terms are springboards for their major multimodal projects. Connected to these key terms is the information that Ball Point provides to students about multimodality. I think that having students read this chapter before or along with presenting them with the assignment should be a great way to introduce them to these kinds of assignments.
Considering all of the above, and as a teacher who will be using multimodality more in her classrooms, I have come up with this important checklist for teachers that want to compose and take on any kind of multimodal assignment:
- Always emphasize the WHY, when first introducing students to multimodal assignments: Many students might not see the reason behind learning composition by using different modalities, they even might see it as a wast of time. That is why it should be a very wise move to tell students the reason behind multimodal assignments and what they will gain from learning them. I think that the most important reason is that it allows students to respond and connect to the real world, and not just the classroom. In the real world today, people use different forms of words and texts to argue for something, as seen in the wide usage of social media and news outlets.
- While students have a variety of choices, it is always a good idea to conference with students or facilitate choice making by talking and discussing in class or whenever there are questions asked. By talking with the students, teachers can help students make the right choices at the right time.
- It is alright if a teacher doesn't know a certain kind of technology. I believe that composing multimodal assignments is a great way for teachers to learn about new technologies, as well as facilitate the learning of students about this new technology. This also reminds teachers to give students some key terms they can begin with, or start from if they have never done any similar assignments using video or audio composition.
- Monitoring student group work is a successful way to make sure that all students have new learning opportunities. As Anne Marie Pedersen and Carolyn Skinner show in their analysis of group work, collaborative work can be a challenge for many students. Keeping a project blog will ensure that all students are doing something and that they are involved in the making of the project.
- While the sources support not giving students certain instructions, I think that it is wise to give students a timeline, or have them write proposals for their multimodal projects, where they show when and where they will be doing their work, whether it is individually or collaboratively.
- I think that having multimodal projects examples are also a good way to start talking about multimodal assignments. Teachers can use some examples from their previous students or examples that they have done themselves to show students the major components of multimodal assignments. The Ball Point chapter is great in giving students various examples about multimodality and the different technologies that they can use.
- It is important to emphasize CREATIVITY while composing. Students must know that that this is not just an assignments that they will get grades for, but that it is an assignment that allows them to use their different fields, hobbies or interests and bring in the classroom.
- As for grading criteria, I think that students should be graded on both of their multimodal project and the written script accompanying it. In other words, the students should not be graded only for the multimodal project alone. There should ALWAYS be a written script.
- Allowing multimodal assignments to be open ended is the best way to foster creativity and allow students to find their own voices.
Some example medias for multimodal assignment m:
- Six word essay to be transformed into a multimodal text
- "This I believe" essay to be transformed into a multimodal text
- infographics
- podcasts visual or audio
- using social media such as instagram or snapchat
- collage
- poster
- movie
- youtube video
- painting
References:
Hess, Mickey. “Composing Multimodal Assignments.” Multimodal
Composition: Resources for Teachers, NJ:
Hampton Press, 2007.
Skinner, Carolyn, & Anne Marie Pedersen. “Collaborating
on Multimodal Projects.” Multimodal Composition:
Resources for Teachers. Cresskill, NJ:
Hampton Press, 2007.
Keller, Daniel. “Thinking Rhetorically.” Multimodal Composition:
Resources for Teachers. Cresskill, NJ:
Hampton Press, 2007.
Selfe, Cynthia L. Multimodal Composition:
Resources for Teachers. Cresskill, NJ:
Hampton Press, 2007.
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