The journey of transforming my “what’s in my bag” story into a multimedia work driven by the Multiliteracy approach as envisioned by the New London Group (1996) has been both enlightening and challenging. This Multiliteracy approach emphasizes on “modes of representation much broader than language alone” (New London Group, 1996, pp. 64). It addresses the importance of integrating multiple modes of communication—visual, audio, spatial, linguistic, and gestural—to create a richer, more engaging storytelling experience.
Design Process
The initial phase involved reimagining the traditional written work into a dynamic, multimodal narrative. I began by identifying the key elements of my story: the items in my bag and their significance, as well as how they represent me as an individual in our society. I then brainstormed ways to represent each element through different modes.
Visual Mode: To enhance the visual aspect, I decided to include more close-up images of my items and recorded a video of what’s in my phone. I think as a digital citizen of our new world, what is in my phone is as telling about me as an individual as my bag would.
Audio Mode: I then decided to add some narration to my story. I spoke about my personal anecdotes and added some music to set the tone. I also included some YouTube videos that educated my audience about the importance of some of the items in my bag
Spatial Mode: For the spatial element, I created an interactive layout of my story using Genially. This allowed viewers to click on items and learn more about them in a non-linear, exploratory manner. I also created a survey/quiz for the audience to interact with, and reflect on their own identity at the end of the experience.
Linguistic Mode: Where I spoke in the story, I tried to use simple yet engaging language and tone to convey my intentions. Where I wrote, I used correct grammar and appropriate structure to communicate my ideas accurately.
Gestural Mode: As mentioned earlier, I created a short video for the contents in my phone, as well as incorporating YouTube videos to make the experience informative and authentic.
Potential Benefits
The use of multiple modes can captivate a diverse audience by appealing to various senses and learning styles, making the story more engaging and memorable. It expands the narrow boundaries of learning and communication that has been restricted to written language in the past (Cope & Kalantzis, 2009). By incorporating multiple languages and formats, the narrative becomes accessible to people with different linguistic backgrounds and abilities. Combining different modes allows for a more inclusive and comprehensive portrayal of the story. Visuals, sounds, and gestures can convey emotions and details that words alone might not capture. Engaging in mode-changing encourages creative thinking and experimentation.
Challenges
Creating a multimedia work requires proficiency in various digital tools and platforms; and ensuring that all the different modes work together harmoniously to tell a cohesive story was difficult. It required careful planning and execution to avoid a disjointed narrative. Producing high-quality multimedia content can be resource-intensive, requiring time, effort, and sometimes financial investment in equipment and software. Not all audiences may be comfortable or familiar with interactive or multimedia formats, and some learner may prefer one mode over another. And finally, meaning expressed in one mode cannot be entirely and accurately reflected into another simply by changing a mode (Cope & Kalantzis, 2009).
References
Cope, B., & Kalantzis, M. (2009). Multiliteracies: New literacies, new learning.Pedagogies: An International Journal, 4(3), 164-195.
The New London Group. (1996). A pedagogy of multiliteracies: Designing social futures. (Links to an external site.) Harvard Educational Review 66(1), 60-92.
Jennie,
I really like the way you overlayed the icons onto your image– great use of the genially program. You were very thoughtful in your approach to this task in choosing to systematically represent a variety of modalities. Your project is really enriched by the addition of images, video, audio, and text features, without seeming overwhelming. Your decision to add a little interactive survey at the end is great- it allows people to engage back with you and your task, rather than passively viewing it. I personally really struggled with this task because I couldn’t think of creative ways to represent each one of my items, and opted to try and gamify it and create a ‘guessing game’ type of situation with H5P and twine. My computer microphone however, had other plans. -_- As you talked about in your reflection, this is one of the challenges of multi-modal communication, we are now relying on a variety of technologies to cooperate and integrate together seamlessly. Your task achieves this flawlessly, well done.
– Katy
Hi Jennie,
I really appreciate your approach to incorporating multiple sensory modes in your task! It’s not only inclusive but also enhances the user experience by making it more engaging and collaborative. Visuals, sounds, and gestures indeed add layers of detail that text alone might not convey.
Your point about accessibility for people with diverse linguistic backgrounds is spot on. It supports inclusivity and helps bridge communication gaps. However, I wonder if the lack of context might affect the overall experience. For example, while the “What’s in My Bag?” activity is relatively straightforward and users can easily infer its purpose, the rich experience you provide through additional text contributes significantly to our understanding. This is how we get to know you on a more personable level!
How do you think the experiences of users who engage with the activity without the context you provide through text might differ? Will they have the same level of engagement and understanding, or will they miss out on some nuances?