We Live in a Multimodal World
In an ever more polluted world, carbon tax is becoming an increasingly important topic in environmental policy. Using multimodality as a teaching method eases the learning process of complex subjects, such as carbon tax. Arguing that the video “How Does Carbon Pricing Work?” is a great example of a multimodal communication tool, which teachers should use in an economics classroom. Today’s highly digital world demands that teachers apply multiple modalities, such as videos, to explain traditional concepts and appeal to the twenty-first century mind. Straightforward while backing the multimodal approach in classrooms, Takayoshi and Selfe offer five key points supporting courses should keep up with emerging technologies.
Pamela Takayoshi and Cynthia L. Selfe claim five points in support of courses increasing technology in the classroom. One: Students should remain reading both text and multiple modalities to increase the understanding of the ever-changing technological world. Two: composition must grow and learn to adapt to stay relevant. Three: Students and multimodal texts must engage together. Four: Multimodal composition must obtain to the rhetorical principles of communication & lastly, teaching multimodality creates a path towards goals in progressive education. “How Does Carbon Tax Work” is engaging and straightforward allowing students to consume information within a minute and thirty two seconds while understanding the concept. Students get a chance to sneak a peek at the “real world” through the video. Studies have shown that students demonstrate improved learning capabilities when taught with multimedia.
The “How Does Carbon Pricing Work” video incorporates all the main features of multimedia including the integration of text, graphics, animation, sound, and video. The video offers an intricate combination of sound explanation and info graphics. The format of the video appeals to today’s student mind, breaking down difficult concepts in an efficient and engaging manner. Students show a higher learning capacity through a collaboration of seeing, hearing, & reading the information then students who do each individually. Takayoshi and Selfe express their five reasons why teachers should take multimodal composition more seriously. With an ever-increasing digital and connected world, students need to continue to “consume” multiple modalities as they are growing up in the internet age. Visually learning through many forms of print and media, texts are still the main source of learning in the classroom. Focusing on the video students consume a topic that is boring to read through text but adopting multimodal, the focus shifts from a complex subject to texts with graphs, imagery, animation, video, audio and color to spice up the content.
The video has been watched by hundreds of thousands of viewers. As a student, the multimodal example does a great job at delivering the message of how carbon pricing works; transforming a dull topic into an interactive piece making this an example of multimodality. Having read the content in an economic textbook then watching the video, the content was more interesting with a much better understanding of the topic. Topics in economics are occasionally boring and uneventful but grasping these principles through a multimodal text made for a more relevant topic, interesting and engaging. Multimodality has become the way of the twenty first century but is argued that students need to be taught through written text rather than multimodality in the classroom.
Some may argue that technology can potentially hinder the learning process. If overused, technology can limit the physical interaction with the learning material. Also, student bodies are diverse in their technology comfort levels. Students learn differently, whether its through flashcards, notes on a paper, or reading through a textbook. Multimodality has shown to be an easier form of grasping information, closing that learning gap for those who struggle in the classroom reading a textbook. Students must come together in a mutually respectful environment where students don't have much of a say when it comes to their learning in the classroom. Using easily manipulated still images, animation, video, audio, and color; multimodality reflects peoples’ literacy practices.
Used as a supplemental tool for learning, economic teachers will find that using videos such as “How Does Carbon Pricing Work” will prove to be an effective introduction to the subject. Allowing students to understand the material being presented, multimodality is increasing in the classroom with multiple forms of it being shown. Where students find the subject to be difficult through texts in a video with animations and images being taught differently. Takayoshi and Selfe consider the standard form of teaching students through written text but know that multimodal examples will allow the student to understand the material further. Considering the regular student of the twenty first century, there are gaps between learning when showing texts but through multimodality, students show a comprehension of the material and have a much better understanding of what is being taught. “Thinking about Multimodality” enforces the argument of merging technology with student learning. The authors know the only way to be successful in the “real” world will require learning differently.
