MultiModal Capabilities For Students

How can multimodality transform your writing?

What are others ways to reach an audience?

Kickstarter: What is Multimodality?

• Many different "Modes" of Writing
• Modes can take forms other than traditional print, alphabetic texts.
• A mode is one of many forms of communication that are contained within either physical or digital media.
• Multimodality DOES NOT just mean "digital"...

What were you thoughts about the term "multimodality" BEFORE our readings this week? What is a good example of multimodality for you? POST this comment to your Final Reading Notes.

The 5 Modes

Gagich (67) - Visual Mode; Gagich (68) - Linguistic Mode

Gagich (69) - Spatial Mode; Gagich (70) - Gestural Mode

Gagich (71) - Aural Mode

What Visuals Can Do...

-Color usage (Visual): How can colors used to spark anger, happiness, understanding...

-images: what do pictures/photos mixed with specific reactions do for the viewer (Gestural)

-text, font, graphics (Linguistic): What you say, how you say it, the look of text and images

- the sound of the text; (Aural) audio essays, audio poems which reflect student voice; create interpersonal connection

-the movement of the text; interactive and video segments which show engagement (Spatial, Visual)

"Transformed" Remediated Assignments can attract attention through...

"Designing" Your Assignment

• Research geared towards a specific audience
• Advertisements: How do we understand how these work?
• Infographics/Visuals: Digital visual which uses text, facts, graphics and images creatively.

• Contrast = color, tones, sizes/shapes, direction
• Alignment = elements are all connected, nothing feels jumbled, nothing out of place. 
• Repetition = Consistency in elements, bullets, lists, numbers, consistent style
• Proximity = Organization and viewer comprehension; elements that are related placed together.

Sound: Intro effects, music style, looping, tone of voice,

Video: Title screens, lighting, editing/cuts, props, Special FX

Let's look at some good versus not so good examples...

Step 1: Let's Look at Some Sample Multimodal Projects with Partners...

- What topic is being covered? 

- Are the examples designed well? Why or Why Not?

-What would you do differently with the content?

Sample Student Multimodal Projects

Moving Images and Music

Literacy and Research Topic (Click Below)

Sample Student Multimodal Projects

Infographics for Research Purposes

Multimodal Examples

(Click Images Below)

What makes the content multimodal? How would I present my content from one of my past essays?

Multimodal Examples

What would I do differently? How would I present my content from one of my past essays?

Step 2: Individual Response

Today we will demonstrate our understanding of multimodality by addressing our working definitions, browsing the different "modes" of communication, and thinking about how we will adapt a past essay into something multimodal. Go To Exploring Multimodality for today's in-class assignment in Week 13. In a Word Doc complete the following:

• Group Interaction with Slides STEP 1
• Individual Responses to STEP 2

USE Gagich article (pages 74-77; focus on How do I create Multimodal Texts? and the Rhetorical Situation for Multimodal Texts) - these are some good sections to use when responding to multimodal texts.

Which of the following questions from Gagich's article help you understand a multimodal text, site, or artifact better? What is an example based on your interests (website, profile, documentary/podcast, etc.).

Key Takeaways

Gagich (77) Introduction to Multimodal Composing - Questions when addressing Multimodal Content

1. What is the author's message?
2. Who are they addressing? How can you tell?
3. What type of text did they create? What genre conventions do you see? (e.g. style or format)
4. How was the text distributed? In what ways does it relate to the target audience?
5. What modes of communication are they using? Which are they emphasizing? Do these decisions support the message and/or appropriately target their audience?
6. What do you like about the multimodal text?
7. What, in your opinion, needs work?

VanKooten "Thinking Across Modes and Media" (273)

• Antropologist and museum researcher Corinne A Kratz analyses how juxtaposition works in exhibits, installations, websites, and films. She calls juxtapositions "productive kernals" that can do different kinds of rhetorical work:
  • raise questions,
  • tell stories,
  • imply sequence or narrative,
  • provoke puzzlement or surprise,
  • show contrast or similarity
  • help make an argument or suggest categories

Integration of "modes" and juxtaposition between modes.

Multimodal Presentation Conference

From last week, we discussed the first step of multimodality: choose which of your three essays you are drawing from:

• Literacy Narrative
• Showdown Analysis
• Research Evidence

MINE your past essay for the following:

• Major Concept, Discussion Themes throughout
• Key details to expand on or show
• Examples of content, sources with information
• Areas that need to be clarified? Expanded?

Choose a platform to practice with: infographic, social media content, presentation etc. - You'll show me a sample of what you've worked (outline, sample visuals) on for your presentation during Group Conferences in Class for Week 14.