A Multimodal presentation is one which incorporates more than one medium to present information from a variety including words, sound and moving images. Educators who use multimodal presentations are finding ways to increase pupil engagement with the subject matter. “The multimodality of technology is another reason to use it to present an idea… to help pupils understand it” according to Beauchamp (2012, p.8).
There are many ways of introducing multimodality into the learning environment one of which is ActivInspire. This programme is particularly useful for Primary Teachers as not only does it work well with Smart Board technology it also encourages children to interact with the learning by using the technology themselves. The benefit of this being that the child can have a greater interest in the learning. Meaningful teaching “at all ages should aim to move beyond surface to deep interactivity. One way of doing this is to combine effective talk with the use of ICT” states Beauchamp (2011, p.40). The ActivInspire programme is an ideal way of encouraging this move to deep interactivity as children want to get involved. I have observed this during my time in a classroom, the children were eager to get their hands on the smart board pen and take a turn at the activity.
The level of multimodality offered by the programme varies. One can choose to have a simple level of information combining simple text and pictures to a more interactive presentation for example one that involves movement. The programme offers an ActivStudio and an ActivPrimary option and the latter is particularly user friendly especially in the classroom environment. Multimodal presentations can be more topological (Jones and Hafner, 2012). In other words, it can make more sense. It is difficult to explain a colour, but write it in its shade and observers can see it themselves. This is something that the ActivPrimary programme makes easy.
I have had the opportunity to see the Interactive Whiteboards (IWB) in use throughout my placement experience. ActivPrimary did, in my opinion, add value to the lesson and made the learning experience altogether more positive. For example; it is easy to add a hyperlink to another website or display pictures. Furthermore, I observed that its use promoted confidence as children spoke out to ensure they had a turn using the technology. However, in a journalistic piece in the Washington Post there have been contrary opinions to mine. Stanford University Professor Larry Cuban suggests that there is very little research that will show that IWB technology will improve academic achievement (Cuban, 2010 cited in McCrummen, 2010). In the same article the chief executive of SMART Technologies said, “strictly gathered research data, shows her products work” (Knowlton, 2010 cited in McCrummen, 2010). The article may raise some interesting points of view however, it is 7 years old and published at a time when less than one in four classes (in America) had the technology installed. According to the article general a little there had been some research which suggested teachers noted higher results without the use of IWB technology in a lesson (McCrummen, 2010) however this may also link back to the comments I made in a previous blog where some teachers see the use of technology in the classroom as something else they must master. The article does not comment on the age, experience and interests of the educators.
During the workshop, I had the opportunity to try the ActivInspire programme and I found the experience to be generally positive. With further practice and experience I think I would find value in using it as a complimentary addition to other methods of teaching. On a practical level, it was problematic in some areas, for example when making a mistake, it seemed a bit cumbersome to tap in and out of the pen and eraser. Another difficulty was that to build the lesson seemed to be awkward. It seemed to be very slow and repetitive to add money to our coin piles (the lesson was based around numeracy outcome MNU 1-09a &MNU 1-09b) however as I reflect on that I believe it may have been because of my unfamiliarity with the programme. Also,, the benefit of being able to save the work would mean it can be used again at a later date (one can build up a stock of presentations).
Given the nature of the software is multimodal, it is unlikely that it would be used as a stand-alone platform. One does not envisage using it without making use of the features such as inserting a hyperlink or a picture therefore it can be considered another tool in a Teachers arsenal.
The ActivPrimary toolkit (the pen tool is highlighted).
Selected images from the lesson plan created in the workshop by myself and my work partner.
References
Beauchamp, G. (2011) Computing and IC in the Primary School from Pedagogy to Practice. 2nd ed. Abingdon: Routledge.
Jones R.H. and Hafner C.A. (2012) Understanding Digital Literacies a Practical Introduction Routledge: London.
McCrummen, S (2010) Some educators question if whiteboards, other high tech tools raise achievement Washington Post USA [online] Available: http://washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/06/10/AR2010061005522.html [Accessed 28 January 2017].
