This is the presentation and creation of knowledge in many media, but more broadly, the critical and metacognitive evaluation of such media. In other words, traditionally, we might've used videos or images in addition to text: in today's world, we have to teach students how to choose what media to create something in, understand audience and purpose in a wider variety of genres than traditional writing, and think about what each feature of a certain medium, like a caption on a photograph, does for the reader/listener/viewer.

I find that this is a challenge for me, who grew up with textbooks and overwhelmingly oral and text-based learning. It is one of my favorite challenges as a teacher, since I so clearly see how relevant and motivating it is in students' lives, and of course I am an avid media consumer, and to some extent producer, myself. My students teach me how to CREATE in multiple media every day - something previously open mostly to artists, journalists, etc. with particular technical expertise in the area.

The field of special education has indirectly been at the forefront of multimodal knowledge representation ever since the articulation of the principles of Universal Design for Learning. Formally, this requires multiple means of access and engagement with content, multiple means of representation of content (media, mostly), and multiple ways students can express themselves and show their knowledge. Informally, UDL encompasses the how, what and why of learning and challenges us as educators to address all of these in an individualized and differentiated way for our learners. 

There's a picture here that succinctly captures UDL basic principles for the visual learners among you:

http://www.cast.org/our-work/about-udl.html#.V6MxVpMrJsM

Of course, this sounds great - but how do we ever-practical teachers translate this into the classroom? How do we move from agreeing with the philosophy to concerete lesson and unit planning?

One place to start is the National Center for UDL, which provides videos and resources showing UDL in action. Another place to start is at the CAST website cited above.

Let's be engaged multimodal learners ourselves! Teachers Pay Teachers and Pinterest are both websites where teachers can get ideas for UDL-aligned lessons and practices for their own classrooms. Search by subject, grade level, or particular content. For example, here is a graphic organizer that may help you focus on UDL principles while planning:

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/Aeq7j2Z3DKjWWZhzq2UVDVCKADotICPiTUEaY7kxGSqPlq34T20ky8w/

Finally, besides specific tools and resources, I believe multimodal knowledge representation requires us to examine how we exist in the world as knowledge producers, consumers and learners in a digital age. Bring your authentic self into the classroom, and reflect on how you use media so that you can better talk about it and practice it with your students. This requires unusual openness and vulnerability, but might be a great relationship builder and conversation starter. It also validates students' identities as teachers of their teachers: they are much better versed in the newest technology and media, for the most part, and flexibly choose what media to communicate in all the time.