Theories and Practices of Multimodal Education
Literacy instruction has changed due to multimodal texts and tools. This article
implies that teachers need to take on a new role in the classroom. Visual
images and texts in books have changed the way that teachers practice their
literacy curriculum. Teachers need to manage the print resources, help
construct knowledge, and provide meaningful feedback to the student. It is
all beneficial to the students of course, because it gives them more
opportunities to explore, make meaning, and be imaginative. When students
engage in multimodal experiences in the classroom, they become critically
oriented to the evolving digital media and multimodal forms. When teachers
use open-ended activities in response to multimodal text, they are creating
a world for students that will help them honor linguistic and cultural differences
amongst the students in the classroom. Students will become more imaginative
in the classroom, construct knowledge jointly through conversation, collaborate
better, and become better designers. All of these social activities have a positive
benefit for students in classrooms today.
implies that teachers need to take on a new role in the classroom. Visual
images and texts in books have changed the way that teachers practice their
literacy curriculum. Teachers need to manage the print resources, help
construct knowledge, and provide meaningful feedback to the student. It is
all beneficial to the students of course, because it gives them more
opportunities to explore, make meaning, and be imaginative. When students
engage in multimodal experiences in the classroom, they become critically
oriented to the evolving digital media and multimodal forms. When teachers
use open-ended activities in response to multimodal text, they are creating
a world for students that will help them honor linguistic and cultural differences
amongst the students in the classroom. Students will become more imaginative
in the classroom, construct knowledge jointly through conversation, collaborate
better, and become better designers. All of these social activities have a positive
benefit for students in classrooms today.
Second Life in the Classroom
I think the concept of using Second Life in the classroom is beneficial
because it will allow better collaboration and it is more authentic. Since
SL resembles the real world, instructors can design more authentic activities
and the learners can explore better, solve problems, derive meaning, and
collaborate with other learners in a better way. I think a big challenge with
using this concept will be that the users have to have the proper equipment.
In many cases students are taking online classes because of budgetary
reasons and if they cannot afford the equipment for an SL class, then this
type of learning becomes a challenge. Also, this is a very new concept that
has to be accomplished with caution and some expertise. The instructors
really need to know how to design an SSL virtual environment that would
ensure that a student is learning. So, the knowledge of the instructor is
important and that instructor needs to realize what this type of virtual
environment means to the student. I don't believe that every single type of
online class would benefit from an SL activity. Additional research needs to
go in to successfully designing an SL class and how can be implemented
effectively. 
I liked your response to the SL article. I will add to your comment about instructors designing more authentic activities, that it would allow students to develop better problem solving skill applicable to the real world.
ReplyDeleteI liked your response to the SL article. I will add to your comment about instructors designing more authentic activities, that it would allow students to develop better problem solving skill applicable to the real world.
ReplyDeleteI like your response to Second Life and I agree with you that it can be beneficial, help foster social skills and create a virtual environment a student will be interested in to challenge students to collaborate. It is definitely a good point that this also comes with challenges like access to the technology which can be financially strapping for some schools. Online safety could also be a concern if it is not taught in the right way, students may find themselves in the wrong place on the internet which can be very dangerous.
ReplyDeleteI agree that SL can be beneficial in terms of bringing the classroom to life. It keeps the kids engaged and makes them excited about learning. Students today needs to be interested in what they are learning and this is one great thing about SL, it keeps them engaged. The thing that concerns me most is safety of our children, regarding being online. I think it can be harmful if proper usage of the internet is not used correctly so it is vital that we teach our children about online safety.
ReplyDeleteI agree that Second Life can help foster better collaboration in an online learning environment at the same time, I also agree that this type of learning isn't for every class or every student
ReplyDelete