Introduction to Introduction to Multimodal CompositionMultimodal Composition

Dr. Cheryl E. Ball

Illinois State University

cball@ilstu.edu | ceball.com

Teaching Visual RhetoricTeaching Visual Rhetoric

Ball & Arola. (2004). ix: visual exercises. Bedford St. Martin’s Press.

Teaching Visual Rhetoric Teaching Visual Rhetoric (ix)(ix)

Multi-modal/media/Multi-modal/media/literaciesliteracies

Cope & Kalantzis, 1999, Multiliteracies: A Design for Social Futures.

What is Multimodal What is Multimodal Literacy?Literacy?

Cope & Kalantzis, 1999, Multiliteracies: A Design for Social Futures. Routledge, p. 26

Multimodal LiteraciesMultimodal Literacieslinguistic (delivery, vocab, logos,

etc.)aural (music, sound effects, …)visual (colors, perspective, …)gestural (body, kinesics,

feeling/affect, …)spatial (eco/geo-systems,

architecture, …)

any combination = multimodal

Teaching Multimodal Teaching Multimodal LiteraciesLiteraciesAnalysis Example: “Murmuring Insects”

analysis / productiondigital / analoghigh / low techopen / closed assignmentsindividual / group assignments

Production Example: “Subterranean CFP”

Multimodality in ContextMultimodality in Context

audience analysisvenue/publication analysis(cross-) genre analysismedia & modes analysispeer-review analysis (i.e.,

workshop)

= scholarly multimedia publications

Creating Assessment Creating Assessment CriteriaCriteriacreativityconceptual coreresearch/credibilityform : contentaudiencetimeliness

Benefits of Scholarly Benefits of Scholarly MultimediaMultimediareal genres & audiences real-world assessment criteriaproductive peer-review workshopscontingency of textual productiontransferinvestment fun (and also hard)

EX: http://ceball.com/classes/239

Issues in Teaching Issues in Teaching MultiliteraciesMultiliteraciesanalysis / productiondigital / analoghigh / low tech open / closed assignmentsindividual / group assignments

What Works For You?What Works For You?What language do you use to

describe texts in your field? Transfer?What assignments/options would

work as “multimodal”? Student ideas? What can your students teach you?What assessment criteria can you co-

create with students?Who are technological allies on

campus?What free software is available?

Questions?Questions?