An exploration of how multimodal teaching and the creation of digital animations contribute to six-year-olds' meaning-making in chemistry

• This paper aims to explore how well-designed multimodal teaching affects pupils' meaning-making and ‘what’s happening’ and ‘what’s possible’ when pupils create multimodal digital animations of water molecules and phase changes of water. Previous research has shown that pupils’ participation in educational activities increases when they are allowed to use several forms of expression (Petersen, 2020). The project is qualitative and draws on the frameworks of social semiotics (e.g., see Kress et al., 2001) and Designs for Learning, DfL (Selander, 2008), where teaching and learning are seen as a multimodal design. The Learning Design Sequence model, developed within DfL is used as an analytical tool. Data has been generated by filming when pupils, in pairs or small groups, create digital animations in Chemistry. Afterwards, the children while showing their digital animations were asked about what they had been doing and what their intentions behind certain actions had been (cf. Wernholm & Reneland-Forsman,2019). The project adheres to the ethical considerations regarding informed consent, anonymity, and the right to withdraw participation without giving a reason. The researchers were sensitive and paid particular attention to the children’s nonverbal communication to ascertain genuine consent to participation. Preliminary results indicate that well-designed multimodal activities where pupils both create and reflect upon their digital animations appear to contribute to increased meaning-making in Chemistry. Thus, this project contributes with implications for early years of schooling by showing how using digital tools can create conditions for children’s participation and meaning-making in Chemistry.

Ämnesord

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Utbildningsvetenskap (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Educational Sciences (hsv//eng)

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Utbildningsvetenskap -- Pedagogik (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Educational Sciences -- Pedagogy (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Designs for learning

digital animations

digital tools

Learning Design Sequence

multimodality

chemistry education

Science Education

Naturvetenskap med utbildningsvetenskaplig inriktning

Pedagogics and Educational Sciences

Pedagogik och Utbildningsvetenskap

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

kon (ämneskategori)