The obvious challenge is having to redo the assignment. However, it is a welcome challenge to be able to improve an assignment.
In a way this assignment reminds me of how I support my students with various learning intelligences. Some students benefit from reading, others listening, while many of my ELL students benefit from a combination while also including pictures as guides to aid in their understanding. In an article by Scholastic Parents (2023), it is described how many children possess a variety of different intelligences and learning styles and are able to be engaged in a variety of ways. The multiliteracies by the New London Group (1996), offers further insight into the various multimodals that all of us need to better understand the plethora of information inundating us each day.
Additionally, this week’s readings remind me of our earlier readings of the major shift of texts being once available only to the elite through the invention of the printing press. The shift allowed access to literature for all. This abundance of text changed how we view books and even education (Lamb, et. al., 2020). We are also at a similar point in time where information is being introduced and incorporated in many new ways to reach the masses; rather than telling or reading information, how do we show information to the masses?
I believe this is the main idea, how we show. Today’s texts include icons, pictures, hypertext and various other elements; readers are shown various paths and must evaluate what information to take in (or not). Prensky (2001) further describes that any new medium is an older medium; we are in a time of constant change. I don’t think the idea is to “keep up”, but to embrace the changes and find a space that feels right for us and the people we work, teach, etc. with. While also being open to other ideas and adjusting our own. This assignment is a great example of this adjustment.
The New London Group (1996) describes how we make meaning from multimedia texts, using the various modes (audio, visual, linguistic, gestural, and spatial). When redesigning my first task, I tried to incorporate as many modes as possible.Here is my breakdown, the concepts were taken from The New London Group. (1996):
Audio: Background noise and bell symbolizing the busy life of an educator.
Visual: Spanning over my original picture and focusing and slowing over items of interest to my voice.
Linguistic: The delivery of vocabulary used.
Gestural: None
Spatial: The use of space and spanning over various items in combination with visual (original picture used).
References
Lamb, R., & McCormick, J. (Hosts). (2020, May 26). From the vault: Invention of the book, part 1 . In Stuff to blow your mind. iHeart Radio.
The New London Group. (1996). A pedagogy of multiliteracies: Designing social futures. Harvard Educational Review 66(1), 60-92.
Prensky, M. (2001). Digital natives, digital immigrants part 2: Do they really think differently?. On the Horizon, 9(6), 1-6.
Scholastic Parent Staff. (February 22, 2023). The different ways your child learns. Scholastic Parents, https://www.scholastic.com/parents/family-life/creativity-and-critical-thinking/learning-skills-for-kids/how-your-child-smart.html
jazz101
February 26, 2023 — 7:33 pm
Hi Dana.
Thank you for your Task 7 post. Like you, I have similar experiences in my Kindergarten classroom regarding supporting students in various learning modes of communication and learning intelligences. I gained similar understandings to you regarding the article by The New London Group. It reiterates the point that as educators we have an responsibility to teach in ways that are engaging to all our students using the modes of communication that are effective and appropriate to who and what we are teaching. Using multiple modes simultaneously, as you demonstrated in your task, provide an example of how this can be done effectively.
I appreciate that you made consideration for the 5 modes of communication and incorporated 4 of them into your Task 7. I was also thinking of taking a similar approach however, I instead took the opposite approach and chose to demonstrate how a single mode (audio) would be less impactful and engaging.
It’s also valuable to note what you say about embracing changes rather than trying to “keep up”. It’s impossible to keep up with the new mediums, especially those in digital media and technology.
dana connors
February 27, 2023 — 2:55 am
Hello!
Thank you for reading my post. Do you find your kindergarten students prefer a certain mode? Mine respond well to verbal, especially through song.