Using Student Videos for Learning and Multimodal Compositions

I offer up this student video as a prime example of multimodal composition. These students composed this video as part of the Binghamton University Writing Initiative, a program designed to motivate first-generation college students. From the choice of song to their physical and written demonstrations, these students encapsulate and share the totality of their learning experience.

According to Self and Takayoshi (2007) , “Audio and visual composing requires attention to rhetorical principles of communication” (p. 5). The complexity of the multimodal  text and the collaboration required  to produce this  video demonstrate clearly the rhetorical devices employed in composing a video.

In  Multimodal Composition: Resources for Teaching, the 2007 book edited by Cynthia Selfe, Self and Takayoshi also said, “If composition is to remain relevant, the definition of ‘composition’ and ‘texts’ needs to grow and change to reflect peoples’  literacy practices in new digital communication environments” (Selfe & Takayoshi, 2007,  p. 3).  Clearly, these students agree as they thank their teacher at the end . . .in writing and in video.

Do you support or use multimodal compositions or student videos in your classroom?

Melody Pickle