Which is why it is important to really utilize these ideas in education, to prepare students to think outside the box when they are in the workforce (and it probably won't be so outside the box). When it comes to writing process, I think students would engage more in a writing with video type of class or in any class. Students create so much digital products on their own and they don't even realize that they are planning and writing and revising when they are doing this. I don't want to say that it is a way to "trick" them into the writing process, but I think they are working this way without really realizing it. I agree when Wysocki quotes Gunther Kress when he said, '"In this social and cultural environment, with these demands for communication of these materials, for that audience, with these resources, and given these interests of mine, what is the design which best meets these requirements?"' (56). I feel like that is the path I want to take in the future; to explore the different designs to meet these requirements, to help people see and learn that there are new ways to compose and reach different audiences.
I like working with technology and creating in multimodal avenues. Whether I end up teaching or working in some private sector, I like being able to find different, useful, and creative ways to convey my message. I would love to be able to encourage my students or peers to use this to their advantage. Writing is obviously very powerful, but you are using the same process and techniques to create video, audio, web, etc. projects and presentations. Along with teaching that there are other useful ways to convey information, teaching what constitutes a good use of space and using different mediums to its full potential is important as well. I want to be able to teach students why we "cross these boundaries." Why discourse, design, production and distribution working together is so important. Why using or not using space, placement of font, using photographs with different angles mean something.
I think preparing students or working and planning communication strategies in a corporate workplace using multimedia is important. People are hesitant when it comes to technology. Most people feel that if something works, it works; why change it? I think with comprehensive education, including how it can work well and work across disciplines is important and it will soon be my job.
3 comments:
I love your discussion of the fact that student are already always composing, they just don't know it. I really think that one of the most important aspects regarding a theory of multimodality has to focus on raising of awareness for new multimedia users. We need to focus on equipping people to not only use multiple media and modes, but to also have the language to reflect on why and how they use such modes. Discussions of discourses and design, of new conventions and limitations are all valuable for students especially. I think just as composition classes strive to give students rhetorical strategies and options and a language for discussing language, it is the job of multimodal educators to give users/producers the language and lenses to critically analyze and use the world of media surrounding them.
what do you say to those who are opposed to embracing multimodality?? i think this is especially common in academia. who do you engage those who would otherwise prefer to live in a one literacy academic world?
That's a good question Ricki and to be honest, I'm not sure how to engage those who are opposed to multimodality. I think the opposition comes from that fear of the unknown, not knowing how to fully use various technologies to their fullest capabilities. Ultimately, a one literacy world isn't going anywhere.
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