Multimodal Literacies MOOC’s Updates

Essential Peer Reviewed Update #1

Make an update of 300 words or more: Describe an important site of multimodal communication in your life, or your students' lives. How might a multimodal analysis of meaning prove useful? How does this compare with traditional notions of literacy?

I am 74 years old, spent most of my school times until university in Japan, then I worked both in Sweden and in Japan since 1972. When I recall my life, there are some turning points when it comes to multimodal communication.

1) around 1968 I took a course of "Basic", a computer language developed at the Dartmouth College there I studied one year. Shocking experience then to learn that we can exactly order computers what and how the process should be done.

2) around 1988 I began using internet, browsing websites, emailing etc. I remember it was still connection via telephone lines but a completely new world and possibility opened up where one can have contacts and information without calling, writing letters or fax.

3) around 2003 Skype was released and synchronous video communication became possible without any fees.

4) Then came Covid-19 crisis in 2020 that accelerated digital revolution forcing everybody to work and study remotely. All of sudden digital communications became standard.

I have been teaching at a university in Japan between 1988 and 2013. During this period all the classes were face to face and no online classed took place. Of course I used information from internet in the classroom, could have synchronous video communications with peers and experts from outside the campus.

Since I retired in 2013, I have been carrying out face to face workshops to promote creativity. Then since 2019, I tried online workshop that just jumped up since Corona pandemics. https://prezi.com/view/SWrV43gaTiGrwhDaQs7B/

Online workshops are really challenging for me and for my participants. The model below is so useful to design the coming workshops to make them more multimodal.

Use of new technology is also challenging. I find for example MIRO so useful for cocreations and using in all workshops.

The other challenge for me is to create a safe learning community and discussion forum for participants where multimodal literacy can be fully utilized.

 

  • Edgar Watson II
  • Ma. Lorelei Mangaoang