Multimodal and Multimedia

Multimodal and multimedia is a very common way of learning these days throughout compulsory education. This way of learning is highly beneficial to a child’s development in education as it allows the child to engage more in the tasks as it seems to be a ‘fun’ way of learning for the children. This type of learning allows the teachers to teach in many different ways to help the children understand. ICT has many unique features which enable teaching more beneficial, such as, speed, creativity, automation and interactivity (Kennewell and Beauchamp, 2007).

The difference between multimodal and multimedia are combining the different modes (multimodal) and then the way these modes are displayed through media (multimedia) such as an app, website etc. There are five different modes which are; visual, linguistic, spatial, gestural and aural (Twiner et al, 2010).

Compulsory education these days involves using many apps on the Ipads, most apps have multimodal learning included, and they enable children to engage with all different modes and to feel more motivated. Children can create their own stories by using ‘book creator’ and ‘story dice’, this allows children’s imagination to expand. Classrooms are now bringing ‘skype’ into learning, a way of communicating, in my earlier post I mentioned technology is becoming an issue for teachers as technology could possibly take over. Skype has a stable audio quality and allows group video chats, I think multimedia will become more popular in the future years (British Council, 2016).

However, multimodal and multimedia do have their challenges, such as the internet isn’t strong enough to work properly, and the cost of the technology, some schools may struggle to pay for Ipads, laptops etc. A big issue with this way of learning is the teachers not being trained to teach the children. Teachers tend to stick to the way they usually teach because they are unaware on how to use the technology.

British Council, (2016) Teaching English online: opportunities and pitfalls. (Online) Available at: https://www.britishcouncil.org/voices-magazine/teaching-english-online-opportunities-pitfalls Accessed on 15/12/16

Kennewell, S & Beauchamp, G (2007) 'The features of interactive whiteboards and their influence on learning', Learning, Media and Technology’. Swansea School of Education, UK. Pp.231

Twiner, A, Coffin, C, Littleton, K. and Whitelock, D. (2010) 'Multimodality, orchestration and participation in the context of classroom use of the interactive whiteboard: a discussion', Technology, Pedagogy and Education, 19: 2, pp.211 — 223

Multimedia And Multimodal Technology

Multimedia and Multimodal Technology is known to play a fundamental component in the learning and development of a child within the classroom setting. I have created a multimodal presentation through a piece of multimedia known as EMAZE.. https://app.emaze.com/editor/@AWQIQFRZ. 

Mobile Technology: Teachers v Technology

Mobile Technology has become a frequent way of learning in educational settings and has become more of a way of teaching multiple subjects rather than only be an object for learning in ICT classrooms. Boticki, et al (2015) stated, "Mobile Technology provides a range of new ways to learn, such as promoting authentic learning environments in the classroom thanks to mobile technology, allowing students to make connections to their classroom lessons on learning."
   But the main question is, is this new profound way of learning more important than teachers?
Keengwe et al, (2008) said, "Technology is not a substitute for good instruction; effective teachers should strive to integrate technology into their lessons to engage multiple learning styles of diverse learners and abilities in the classroom." Therefore it could be said that teachers will always be a part of teaching but may become the 'facilitators' rather than the prominent individual in the learning process.
Although technology introduces upgraded ways of learning, it is the influential role  and abilities of teachers that allow technology to be a part of the curriculum, therefore a balance between the teachers instructions and technological advances could be the improvement that education settings need for the future.


Domingo,M. and Gargante, A. (2016)Exploring the use of educational technology in primary education: Teachers' perception of mobile technology learning impacts and applications' use in the classroom. Computers in Human Behaviour, 56, pp.21-28.

Leonard, J. (2013) How Early Childhood Educators are initially integrating tablet technology in the curriculum. ProQuest Dissertations and Theses. pp.5-6.

Mobile Technology

Mobile technology is described as ‘all those technological devices, which are portable and lightweight and either through data cables or through wireless connections and have internet capability.’ Keengwe & Bhargava (2014, cited in Beauchamp, G pg.89). Devices such as iPads, tablets and laptops seem to be more commonly used to support and enhance learning and development within the classroom as they provide apps such as Puppet Pals and Padlet for both practitioners and children to use. As technology is continuously developing and becoming more affordable for schools to purchase, can we assume that technology could potentially take over the role of teacher.

Keengwe & Bhargava (2014) Mobile Technologies in the Classroom. In Beauchamp, G. (2017) Computing and ICT in the Primary School: From Pedagogy to Practice. Second Edition, Routledge. Pg. 89 

Mobile Technology

Mobile technology is the term used to describe the advanced technology that we have available to us in modern day. It mostly refers to the use of handheld, portable devices that are used by millions of people around the world on a daily basis for a variety of reasons. Even though mobile technology is highly beneficial to everyone daily, there are some negative effects such as decreased social development and many accidents caused due to distraction. Mobile technology is becoming a problem for teachers as many people are wondering whether or not teachers will be replaced by mobile technology. (Quillen, 2012) states, "The highly charged response reflects the fear many teachers are beginning to feel that technology could push them out of their jobs, especially in an era of persistently tight budgets." It is important to be critical seeing as though this quotation is from the United States, so this could be different for the UK. 

Quillen, I. (2012). Can Technology Replace Teachers? Quality Debated as Districts Tap Tech over Teachers. Education Digest: Essential Readings Condensed for Quick Review, 78(4),4-10. United States.

My Personal Experience with ICT: Was my Education ruled by Technology?

"electronic media has a significant influence on childhood and suggest that children's early literacy and play experiences are shaped increasingly by electronic media." (Facer et al.2003; Marsh, 2004)

From my personal experience, technology was and will always be a part of my education because it surrounded many aspects of my learning. Technology offered me the support I required to discover information and allowed me to communicate in many different forms.

But in my opinion, technology did not rule my education or childhood as a whole because many other factors influenced my way of learning in school such as play, communication between friends, family and teachers, the outdoor environment, personal accomplishments and the use of basic resources such as books, pens and paper.
The use of Technology was quite limited in my primary school compared to the present day therefore we were not obliged to depend on technological instruments to learn and the use of books, the whiteboard and the teacher's knowledge was enough for my learning in Primary school.

(Hayes, M., Whitebread, D. (2006) Chapter 3: Literacy and ICT in the Early Years in, ICT in the Early Years. Open University Press: New York; 40)

Personal Exepriences with Technology

I feel that I’m at that age where it’s a difficult moment to pinpoint my first experience with technology as I have grown up with it. However, I can see that there has been huge advances in technology since I was young. When I was in primary school we had access to the “old” style large computers with the white square monitors and they were “new” then. They helped us with creativity and different styles of learning. That being said, as children we had no difficulty learning without the involvement of technology in the classrooms. We would rarely use the computers, and I recall the teachers relied much more on textbooks and blackboards rather than interactive whiteboards and the internet.

Growing up with Technology as a 90's child - Personal Experiences of Technology

When growing up, technology was very basic. Being a 90’s child meant laptops were the new thing and not many people could afford them. As a result of this most households possessed a desktop computer, which allowed you to carry out the very basic of tasks, such as processing word documents using word pad and being creative using a programme called Paint. In addition to this, as broadband or Wi-Fi didn’t exist, we had to wait forever for our internet to connect as the dial up connector was so slow.

Here is a video link showing what technology was like in the 90’s compared to technology today:  https://www.youtube./watch?v=4T2tcXh8044&spfreload=10