Video: To view, click on this link What’s in my bag
I found it more fun to create and watch my multimodal video I created using iMovie, in comparison to completing this task the first time. Instead of having one long text and one picture to view, the video better captures the elements of my family, which are a large part of who I am, as a person. Within this video, I primarily focused upon the audio and visual design. Most of the items remained the same in my purse from when I first completed this activity. Additionally, I found I was able to give a different perspective through the way I choose to represent the items in my bag. I was not only limited to text, but I could add additional details that could be easily shared from photos or through my voice. Additionally, I felt by using my voice and being able to add photos of my family, I was able to connect more personally with my audience.
However, creating my video was time-consuming. Firstly, I needed to take images of all the items in my purse. Secondly, I needed to do the voice-over a few times for some sections, as I usually made some mistakes the first time. Lastly, I added the background music and added some text throughout my video. It was challenging to push my creativity and redesign this task using a different mode of design I had access to. I also wanted to add some Indian music, but it was not available from the free music that was within the iMovie program. I thought this would further make connections to my identity. I usually listen to Indian music through my app, Spotify, which is on my iPhone during my commute to work.
The benefit of using different modes is that our students are diverse in the way they learn. Using multiple modes could tap into a mode that engages them more or helps them learn more effectively. As teachers are now “designers of learning” as explained by the The New London Group (1996), we need to create an environment where we continuously challenge ourselves to think of different ways to allow for creativity in our classroom. Furthermore, we need to allow for transformation as ourselves as teachers, as well as transform our curriculum to further engage our learners.
References
The New London Group. (1996). A pedagogy of multiliteracies: Designing social futures. (Links to an external site.) Harvard Educational Review 66(1), 60-92.
