This study investigated how future L2 faculty enrolled in an OER-embedded graduate course on multiliteracies and multimodality used their theoretical knowledge to develop and apply multimodal practices in a multimodal text and a multimodal text-based lesson they created. Findings reveal that thinking deeply about multimodality and applying knowledge in concrete ways can impact future L2 faculty multimodal pedagogies.
In 1996, the New London Group called for a broader view of literacy and literacy teaching, one that reflects the cultural and linguistic diversity of our globalized world and accounts for the kinds of texts and textual engagement that have emerged in the wake of new information and multimedia technologies. To capture the plurality of discourses, languages, and media, they proposed the term multiliteracies. While the profession agrees on the necessity for more integrative frameworks that expand the notion of literacy and open up the range of communicative modes in the L2 classroom, challenges have slowed down this paradigm shift, specifically: instructional materials and teacher professional development. Of interest is the fact that new digital genres remain largely unused in the classroom and when used, traditional pedagogies which privilege linguistic modes of meaning-making still prevail when working with these. Grounded in Gee’s situated socio-cultural approach (2010) and Bezemer and Kress’ social semiotic theory (2008), this study asked: How do future L2 faculty enrolled in a graduate course embedded with OER on multiliteracies and multimodality used their theoretical knowledge to 1) develop their own multimodal text? 2) integrate multimodal practices in a lesson plan for L2 learners? Eight students participated. Data included infographics, multimodal lessons, and case narratives. Infographics’ content analysis focused on core concepts of multimodal analysis (Jewitt 2011): mode; semiotic resources; intersemiotic relationships. A coding scheme was developed to analyze the lessons focusing on goals and multimodal pedagogies. Case narratives were coded inductively for themes and usages. Findings indicate that coursework that engages future L2 faculty into thinking deeply about multimodality and applying their newly developed knowledge in concrete explorations can potentially prepare them to integrate multimodal pedagogies in their instruction. OERs’ potential for expanding future L2 faculty practices and opening up communication in the L2 classroom is discussed.
