Poetry in Motion

In this chapter, the researcher presents a study where young students apply kinetic typography principles by capturing the movement of text. Each learner designs a poem that includes the use of images, moving text, narration, and words that combine into a video production. The analysis of data captures the ways students use form to impact meaning and the intended perceptions of the text maker. Additionally, a glimpse into how students enact social relations within the process is featured. This chapter clearly brings critical attention to the notion that literacy cannot be defined in language terms alone. Instead, there must be spaces for students to utilize a variety of multimodal semiotic resources in order to communicate within a global world.

New Literacies in 21st Century Classrooms

Understanding 21st century communication requires an acknowledgement of the increasing role technology plays in the everyday lives of children. At home, children routinely engage in techno-literate environments where they use multiple modes for playing and learning. In order to build a bridge between theory and practice, it is helpful to draw upon the field of multiliteracies, New Literacy Studies, and social semiotics. Applying these theories to the language and literacy practices of elementary students provides insight into text making and the design process or fit between modes and affordances. This chapter helps the reader gain the necessary background for grasping the complexities involved in producing coherent and cohesive texts.

Research Context

Ethnographic research requires a close examination of learning across recurring situations, and in the case of chapter one, the central foci are literacy and multimodal practices. The research is informed by a cultural view of literacy that situates learning as social. Therefore, the author describes in detail the participants, school site, classrooms, teachers, and the role of the researcher. In addition, there is a comprehensive description of methodology including the data collected and the analyses employed (e.g., grounded theory, multimodal analysis, text maker rubrics).

Shifting Literacy Instruction

Five years-worth of research combines to provide an overview of findings as reported from each of the studies. The value in this chapter rests with the emphasis on student voices and their perspectives about digital literacy learning given the students are faced with curriculum mandates and stressed educators every day in classrooms. Therefore, we must listen to children, in order to recognize the impact of instructional decisions. Overall, students report a sense of agency, or control, as being essential in the meaning making process. This includes making decisions about tools and collaborating with others. This chapter contains suggestions for modifying existing structures like writing workshop and linguistic-based assessments. The conclusion focuses on future research questions that continue the quest to better understand the multimodal work of diverse students.

Digital Play and Legos as Rehearsal for Writing

Do you consider digital play as learning? This chapter showcases the role of play in learning within a school classroom where there is not often time for such activities. Since students already bring a wealth of media rich information with them to school, it is necessary to capitalize on these experiences as means for extending language and literacy development. In this case, students design their own stories by initially building scenes using Lego pieces. Each sequence is photographed digitally and later imported into a computer for composing purposes. The students bring together images with words to construct multimodal stories. Part of the process involves digital play where learners experiment with technology as a way to understand the affordances of particular tools. For example, students played with the cropping tool to recognize how best to manipulate their photo. Results show the development of digital expertise and students actively becoming agentive learners.

Composing in the Cloud

As the availability of technology expands in public schools, so do opportunities for composing in the cloud. Over the course of two years, 51 third grade students composed multimodal stories using two cloud-based programs: StoryJumper and Storybird. Specific cases are highlighted in this chapter to illustrate literacy learning potential, affordances of each tool, and how the tools best support diverse learners. The relationship between images and words is examined within literacy events where co-composing and co-designing occurs. The collaborative nature of cloud-based tools extends and scaffolds learning experiences for all students. Using the cloud as a resource is just one avenue for extending a ‘basic' curriculum.

Graphic Stories

Currently, graphic novels thrive in the world of reading for even the youngest of children. The highly visual nature of these texts distinguishes them from other reading materials. This chapter describes a group of second graders' immersion with reading and writing graphic stories. Specific examples of text design are noted throughout the chapter to illustrate text making experiences. As such, the reader may value the complexities involved in moving from paper to digital and how tools such as music and narration add to the overall production. Themes such as peer dialogue, student funds of knowledge, and the application of digital tools are explored. Ultimately, the findings indicate growth in the development of new literacies, writing skills, and identities as published authors.