A-Z Multimodal Pedagogy

This project is situated at the intersections of humanities writing, research, teaching, and adapting to a new digital infrastructure. This is an interactive page that offers 26 keywords (A to Z) related to digital approaches to multimodal teaching during and post Covid-19. The larger aim of this project is to make this keywords series broadly applicable to diverse general education courses. Recently, an article published in the Digital Humanities Quarterly brought to light the question of accessibility in digital humanities pedagogy and digital literacies using the DEAR model (Diversity; Employability; Application; and Reflection) for learning and teaching design. This list of keywords and resources are curated keeping the DEAR model in mind.

Future work: This page will be developed into an interactive website. Coming soon!

[A] [B] [C] [D] [E] [F] [G] [H] [I] [J] [K] [L] [M] [N] [O] [P] [Q] [R] [S] [T] [U] [V] [W] [X] [Y] [Z]

[Gallery]

Access

The practice of access in pedagogy has become even more important with the onset of Covid-19. With the increased need for multimodality in teaching and learning, one of the biggest challenges faced by instructors has been to learn hybrid modes of knowledge dissemination to cater to students attending class virtually from different time zones. The emerging demand for instructors with technical expertise has led academic practitioners to acquaint themselves with low tech strategies that can ensure maximum participation and engagement.

Topics covered: multimodal participation and engagement, classroom discourse and multimodal conversation analysis

Reference:

  • Jacknick, Christine M. Multimodal Participation and Engagement. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2021. Print.

Blended

Blended or hybrid courses have become our next best option ever since conducting face-to-face or in-person classes were deemed unfeasible in the light of the pandemic. A blended class is defined as one “in which some percentage of seat time has been reduced and replaced with online content and activities” (Darby & Lang 2019, p.xxix). These courses often meet in-person for some percentage of the class time but the course content, activities, assessments, and other ways for students to engage with content are meant to cater to students both virtually and in-person. However, the most challenging aspect of designing and teaching hybrid courses is to properly integrate in-person and online activities.

The Blended Learning Toolkit is a free, open resource for educational institutions created by University of Central Florida to assist with developing and/or expanding blended learning initiatives.

Topics covered: Hybrid course design, benefits and challenges

References:

Collaborative Learning

Refers to the various methods in which instructors and students work together to complete a task at hand and/or create a project. Multimodal collaborative work virtually has been made possible by tools such as Google Docs, MS Teams, Zoom, Blackboard among others. Listed here are links to step-by-step guidelines for using these tools in the virtual/blended classroom.

References:

Digital Learning

Broadly defines the eLearning environment that includes social networks, video hosting sites and micro blogging, where students and instructors are increasingly expanding the learning and social environment in higher education. Digital Learning has often been considered as an accessible option for individuals with learning disabilities.

Topics covered: Using digital archives in elearning, disability and e-learning

References:

E-Portfolio

One of the most effective ways of allowing students to showcase their work and progress is by training them to create an ePortfolio.

Topics covered: The What, Why, and How of ePortfolios

References:

Formative Assessment

Formative assessment is the process of providing feedback to students during the learning process (both on and off-line). These are often low stakes activities that allow the instructor to evaluate student progress and provide feedback. An instructor writing comments and suggestions on a draft version of a paper is an example of formative assessment.

Topics covered: Formative assessment in the virtual classroom

References:

Growth Mindset

As defined in the Harvard Business Review, growth mindset reflects individuals who believe their talents can be developed through hard work, good strategies, and input from others. Having a growth mindset involves sustained effort toward learning new knowledge and reflection on past failures so that one can increase their knowledge and ability (Dweck, 2008, Dweck & Master 2008, Rattan et. Al. 2012, Yeager 2012).

Topics covered: Growth mindset in education

References:

Humanities

I have found that highlighting the Humanities in interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary modes of learning is essential keeping the notion of reproducibility of research in mind. There is a problem in re-evaluating the humanities as a dying field when compared to STEM because the foundational training in critical thinking, writing, speaking, and formulating arguments comes from a training in the humanities and the liberal arts.

Interdisciplinary Learning

An interdisciplinary approach to learning that incorporates both humanities and STEM training helps advance critical thinking and cognitive development.

Juxtapose

The keywords Humanities and Interdisciplinary demonstrates an essential juxtaposition of the arguments about the death of the humanities and the increased need for a strong liberal arts training

Topics covered: interdisciplinary humanities programs, interdisciplinary studies in the humanities, the interdisciplinary approach

References:

Knowledge Making

Literacies (multiliteracies)

Knowledge making and multi-literacies have become interconnected in virtual modes of learning. Originally, the term multiliteracies was coined to understand how literacy has been influenced by “social, cultural, and technological change” (Anstey & Bull 2006, p.23). Currently, multiliteracies play a crucial role in redefining learning spaces and promoting self-advocacy for students.

Topics covered: literacies, self-advocacy, instructor-student interactions

References:

  • Krishnan, Sudha. “The Role of Multiliteracies in Changing Learning Spaces and Promoting Self-Advocacy for Students with Complex Support Needs.” Research and Practice for Persons with Severe Disabilities, vol. 46, no. 2, June 2021, pp. 108–124, doi:10.1177/15407969211010307
  • Making Space: Writing Instruction, Infrastructure, and Multiliteracies. MPublishing, 2017. Print.

Multimodal

It is a teaching strategy that relies on using different types of media and teaching tools to instruct and educate learners, typically through the use of a Learning Management System (LMS). A multimodal learning system would teach using not just words on a page or the voice of an instructor giving a lecture, but it would instead combine these elements with videos, pictures, audio files and hands-on exercises to give the learner the best opportunity to learn.

For examples of multimedia research projects please see the gallery of student research.

Topics covered: multimodal learning strategies, the VARK model of learning

References:

Network

Network of contemplative pedagogy or the Contemplative Pedagogy Network (CPN) is a digital resource that provides a space for the exploration of ideas and experiences of working with contemplative pedagogy.

Topics covered: collaboration with practitioners and educators from diverse disciplines

References:

Oral Communication

The goal is to help students understand the dynamics of different speaking situations, to develop their ability to make appropriate decisions about communication goals and strategies and to develop their ability to achieve those goals through communication behaviors that are both effective and ethical.

References:

Pedagogy

With the advent of Covid-19, reimagining new pedagogical possibilities became the need of the hour. With the acceptance of the new hybrid “normal,” multimodal pedagogy has globally come to dominate the culture of teaching and learning.

Topics covered: new pedagogical possibilities, responsive and resilient pedagogy

References:

Qualitative + Quantitative

Virtual/hybrid modes of interdisciplinary learning has opened more avenues for qualitative and quantitative research to go hand in hand.

The merging of statistical and numerical research methodologies with biography, case study, historical analysis, discourse analysis, ethnography, grounded theory, and phenomenology has reshaped hybrid modes of research. Below are examples of institutional qualitative and quantitative research.

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Rhetoric

Perhaps the most important aspect of any pedagogy is rhetoric. Rhetoric is the way in which you communicate in everyday life. These communications can be persuasive in nature and can be made of text, images, video, or any other type of media.

Rhetoric requires an understanding and control of language and knowledge of culture; the rhetorical situation which includes the purpose, audience, topic, writer, and context, genre; and other aspects to achieve an intended purpose. In many cases, rhetorical appeals (ethos, pathos, logos) can also contribute to this intended purpose.

The rhetorical triangle.

Topics covered: the rhetorical situation, the rhetorical triangle

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STEM Writing

STEM Writing is science writing information for both instructors and their students as they practice writing across the curriculum.

Technical Communication

Technical communication focuses on making technical topics understandable and using technology to make information usable.

Topics covered: guides to writing in sciences, technology, engineering, and mathematics

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Universal Design for Learning in Higher Ed

Universal Design for Learning is a purposeful course-planning and design framework intended to improve teaching and learning for all by making it accessible for individuals of all learning, cognitive and physical abilities.

Topics covered: UDL accessibility tools for faculty

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Visual

Visual learning is a type of learning style in which students use images, colors, maps and various other infographics to communicate ideas and thoughts.

Topics covered: visual learning strategies, learning styles in the online environment

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WOVEN

Georgia Institute of Technology’s WOVEN approach emphasizes rhetoric, process, and multimodality. Students learn that modes and media are synergistic as they invent and plan; create and construct; disseminate and use; and interpret, critique, and assess written, oral, visual, electronic, and nonverbal communication.

References:

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Zone of Proximal Development

The zone of proximal development (ZPD), or zone of potential development, refers to the range of abilities an individual can perform with the guidance of an expert, but cannot yet perform on their own. Reconsidering the value ZPD has become more important in the virtual classroom keeping multilingual learners and students with special learning needs in mind.

https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-the-zone-of-proximal-development-2796034

References:

Gallery

Coming soon!