Using Multimodal Representations to Support Learning in the Science Classroom

This book provides an international perspective of current work aimed at both clarifying the theoretical foundations for the use of multimodal representations as a part of effective science education pedagogy and the pragmatic application of research findings to actual classroom settings. Intended for a wide ranging audience from science education faculty members and researchers to classroom teachers, school administrators, and curriculum developers, the studies reported in this book can inform best practices in K – 12 classrooms of all science disciplines and provide models of how to improve science literacy for all students.  Specific descriptions of classroom activities aimed at helping infuses the use of multimodal representations in classrooms are combined with discussion of the impact on student learning. Overarching findings from a synthesis of the various studies are presented to help assert appropriate pedagogical and instructional implications as well as to suggest further avenues of research.

Table of Contents:
Learning Science through Learning to Use its Languages, Vaughan Prain and Brian Hand.- Writing Popular Scientific Articles, Development of Interest in the Natural Sciences, and Non-textual Representations in Student Texts – The “Young Science Journalism” Program in Austria, Uwe Simon.- Effectiveness of a Lesson on Multimodal Writing, Sakari Tolppanen, Toni Rantaniitty, Maija Aksela.- The Effect of Integrating Multimodal Representation Within Non-Traditional Writing Task on Students’ Learning In Electrochemistry, Murat Gunel, Sevgi Kingir, and Nurdane Aydemir.- Using multimodal representations to develop scientific literacy in South African classrooms, Mary Grace Villanueva.- Scientific Concepts, Multiple Modalities, and Young Children, Debra Linebarger and Lori Norton-Meier.- Examining the Impact of Multimodal Representation Instruction on Students’ learning of Science, Jeonghee Nam and Hyesook Cho.- Developing Multimodal Communication Competencies: A Case of Disciplinary Literacy Focus in Singapore, Dr Kok-Sing (Kenneth) Tang, Dr Caroline Ho, and Gde Buana Sandila Putra.- Constructing representations to learn science, Russell Tytler and Peter Hubber.- Modeling Scientific Communication with Multimodal Writing Tasks: Impact on Students at Different Grade Levels, Mark McDermott and Brian Hand.- Using a Framing Analysis to Elucidate Learning from a Pedagogy of Student-Constructed Representations in Science, Jim Carolan.- Emerging Developments and Future Questions, Mark McDermott.