Going Multimodal in the Writing Classroom

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Going Multimodal in the Writing Classroom

• Bob Palmer, May 27, 2007
• JALT Hokkaido Presentation
• Hokkai Gakuen University

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Presentation Outline

• Game Show warm up to topic
• Why this presentation
• Overview/description of multimodal writing
• Multimodal writing demos
• WebQuest background and rationale
• Implementing WebQuest at HGU students,
  challenges, evaluation, lessons learned
• Closing comments

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Why this presentation?

• Articles in Daily Yomiuri piqued interest
• Formulaic essay seems out of touch with todays
  world.why?
• Is good writing linear and thesis driven?
  Should form dictate content? Cinderella story
  Trying to jam different-sized feet into the same
  glass slipper
• Many writing textbooks just plain boring ?

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A scene from your writing class?
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What is multimodal writing?

• Various definitions
• 1. A single product comprising two or more media
  types (multimedia)

Multimedia slide show, for example
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What is multimodal writing?

• 2. A multi-component project with each component
  composed in a different media (multiple ways or
  means of expression)

Written Essay
Voice Recording
Photo Interview
Movie
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Examples of Multimodal Writing

• Oral history of a person
• Consists of interview, essay, and video
• Communities writing theme
• Persuasive paper, brochure using color, pictures,
  and text
• Other projects using a combination of text,
  video, sound essay, slide show, music Blogs are
  great for this

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Multimodal Example 1

• Start with a thought-provoking picture

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Multimodal Example 1

• Add scaffolding questions, tips

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Multimodal Example 1

• Product is a short story, recorded interview, and
  accentuating pictures

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Multimodal Example 1
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Multimodal Example 2 PhotoStory

• Start with text, perhaps a short story your
  students write
• Unbelievable Reunion, by B. Palmer
• Bob and Rob grew up in the same town
  but they had not seen each other since high
  school days. One day, however, they met in
  Sapporo while walking through Chiji Park. They
  were both teachers living in Sapporo but didnt
  know it. Bob invited Rob to attend his speech
  presentation at Sapporo University. Everything
  was going well until.Suddenly, the sky turned
  black! A green-faced witch riding a broomstick
  screamed !

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Multimodal Example 2

• Add still pictures that relate to the story

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Multimodal Example 2

• Voice record the story, add BGM and transitions
  Voila!

Unbelievable Reunion, by B. Palmer Bob and Rob
grew up in the same town but had not seen each
other since high school days. One day, however,
they met in Sapporo while walking through Chiji
Park. They were both teachers living in Sapporo
but didnt know it. Bob invited Rob to attend his
speech presentation at Sapporo University.
Everything was going well until.
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What is a WebQuest?

• Inquiry-oriented activity
• Most information used by learners is drawn from
  Web
• Focus on using information rather than looking
  for it
• Support learners thinking at levels of analysis,
  synthesis, and evaluation

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A well-planned WebQuest has

• Guidance for students
• A creative end project with room for flexibility
• Some tension or conflict that must be resolved
• Links that help answer questions and add to the
  project

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The WebQuest as Multimodal Writing

• WebQuests are often composed in PowerPoint,
  combining text with pictures, audio, and even
  video
• WebQuests can also have discrete text, photo, and
  audio/video components
• Not restricted to high tech handwritten text,
  hand-drawn illustrations, tape-recorded
  narrations possible

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Webquests Are They For Me?

• Do you teach high school or college writing?
• Do you teach in a computer lab or other networked
  environment (ideally)?
• Are your students writing at the sentence or
  paragraph level?
• Are you and your students losing motivation?

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Rationale

• In many U.S. universities, the 5-paragraph essay
  is dying
• Todays buzzword is multimodal writing (see
  handout)
• Products include videos, sound essays, PP
  presentations, brochures, flyers
• WebQuests can incorporate any of these products

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WebQuest Experts Speak Out

• Dr. Bernie Dodge, San Diego State U., creator of
  the WebQuest concept
• Elementary school teacher speaking about her
  success with WebQuests

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WebQuest Pluses

• Say goodbye to teacher-speak
• Put the power of the Web behind your topic
• Allow students to work at own pace, individually
  or in teams
• Good WebQuests motivate students and make
  learning interesting

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WebQuest Minuses

• Time A good WebQuest takes lots of time to
  create, especially finding resources
• Some Web-page editing skill is required
• Students must be literate enough in English to
  read and process information on the Web
• Shortage of basic-level WebQuests suitable for
  most Japanese EFL students

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WebQuest Structure

• Most WebQuests have 5-6 steps, including
• Introduction Orients students and captures their
  interest (the hook)
• Task Describes the end product
• Process Explains strategies students should use
  to complete the task
• Resources Web sites students will use to
  complete the task
• Evaluation Measures results of the activity
• Conclusion Sums up the activity, encourages
  students to reflect on process and results

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Where Do I Start?

• Dont reinvent the wheel thousands of WebQuests
  online! More here
• Online WebQuest study sessions (Yahoo Groups)
• Templates, other resources freely available
• See list of links on presentation handout

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A Trip to the Land Down Under

• Part of an online graduate course
• Collaborative effort with an ESL teacher in
  Australia
• Each teacher responsible for one or more project
  areas
• Includes real problems that must be resolved
• Degree of success highly influenced by students
  English proficiency

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And now

• Lets have a look at the featured WebQuest and
  some student projects

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Meet the Players
TEAM 1
TEAM 2
TEAM 3
TEAM 4
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WebQuest Samples

• The WebQuest itself
• Jack and Erina
• Eri and Fumi

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Student Feedback

• Constructivist principle
• We learn by doing but we learn even better by
  talking about what we did.
• Last year, students provided valuable feedback
  through an online survey

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Lessons Learned Action Plan

• Spend more time in one place, writing about it in
  greater detail
• Shorten the stay to 1 week
• Provide more concrete examples, such as the cost
  of a typical breakfast or lunch
• Consider offering alternative destinations
• Provide more detailed demonstration of each step
• Guidance on dos and donts in PowerPoint
• Work on presentation skills

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WebQuest Resources

• Selected links to WebQuest resources are on the
  handout
• Download this presentation from jalthokkaido.net
  or eltportal.com
• Questions? bpalmer AT gol.com
• Thank you for attending this session, and I hope
  you will create and share your own WebQuests ?