3+-+Multiliteracies

 **Multiliteracies**

Multimedia has become a huge part of human life. Dvd and Cd’s digital music, email, sms, myspace are just some examples of the products that young children are getting their hands on. Computers and new software have become a useful tool in classrooms because they engage children but can also develop cognitive processes e.g real time virtual conversations. Multiliteracies cover visual, electronic, digital and print based literacies, with the aim to incorporate them to create a dynamic new learning resource and skill. Teachers are beginning to realise the amount of time spent using new technologies such as computers and playstations. Children as young as 3 years old had access to computers at home to talk to friends, access favourite television shows and use search engines. However far more concerning is the amount time that children are spending using these technologies unattended. There are however positives that come from the use of new technology, for example LEAP Frog technology enables children to learn to read through sounding out words. An example of technology that teachers have use in classrooms is creating multimodal PowerPoints of topics of interest. The example note in Hill of the children who found a caterpillar in the playground, shows just how diverse using technology can be in order to develop understanding and create a multimodal object in order to convey that knowledge. The students used the internet to search for pictures on caterpillars, the scientific name, what type of places the live and what they eat. After gathering this information they made a presentation with pictures, information and videos to display all that they knew about the caterpillar they had found. (Hill, 2007, P329) // A video example of learning about caterpillars is below: //  media type="custom" key="693387" When using multimodal resources, the example shows that children thrive on technology when a topic of interest is the key reason for using such technologies, student are then able to convey new meaning and understanding, build vocabulary and extend upon writing and reading. Today’s age requires technological functionality in order to compete in the 21st Century. Children who use technologies are also shown to have increased abilities in reading and writing. Print based reading was shown to be important for success in digital contexts. Writing was used as a ‘memory tool, for planning, designing and recording idea found information’ according to a study noted in Hill (2007, P325). Children who have learning and behaviour difficulties have also benefited from technologies in classroom. The Case Study found on page 331-332 of Hill, shows that a shy and reluctant writer was able to gain confidence and began to enjoy writing through key strategies using print based and well as digital technology. The young boy ‘had gone from being really reluctant to put pen to paper, and not wanting anything to do with reading and writing, to being keen to go on the computer and try out his new skills and write’(p330). Examples of his print and digital works are below:

[|Max's tool box] has become a good software program used by school students as it creates a child friendly view of MS Office programs that enable children to see larger icons and relevant icons.