Multimodality in the 21stCentury: Understanding Elementary Teachers' Lived Experience in Teaching Science

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

Educators and curriculum designers in the 2first century seem to highlight a significant concern and opportunities in incorporating educational technologies and other multimedia platforms to present various representations of content (text, video, audio, images, interactive elements among others) so as to cater more effectively to the different learning styles of students from different cultural and societal backgrounds. For this matter, the researcher undertook this study to describe and understand the lived experience of science teachers in utilizing multimodality in their classes.

METHODS

The research pertains to how participants' made sense of multimodality in the teaching and learning process of Science. This study is about the lived experiences in utilizing multimodality in their Science classes and

RESULTS

The study, employing psychological phenomenology, usedthe participants' verbatim responses. This analysis resulted in seven themes: (1) Integral Means to Learning; (2) A Challenger to Teachers and Learners; (3) Improved Learning Experience; (4) Changing Standpoint; (5) Availability of Time, Space and Materials Calls for Concern; (6) Getting Acquainted with Modern Means of Learning; and (7) A Critical Eye and Mind for Suitability) which were categorized into textural (what) and structural (how) descriptions of the phenomenon.

DISCUSSIONS

The study concluded that utilizing multimodality in Science classrooms is integral means to learning, serves asa challenger to both teachers and learners, improves learning experience, and changes the standpoint of Science educators in their profession. In addition, using multimodality stresses the availability of teaching and learning materials and enough time and space for preparation and execution.