Student Experiences in a Multimodal Composition Class

Despite the social turn in literacy studies, few empirical studies have investigated the practical applications and learning experiences of multimodal composition pedagogy. Using a qualitative research approach, this study examines undergraduates’ experiences in producing multimodal texts. Findings report that students’ experiences in a multimodal composition class epitomize enjoyable learning. Students enjoyed their learning process because (a) the multimodal literacy curriculum filled the pedagogical gap between the conventional school-sponsored alphabetic literacy pedagogy and widespread out-of-school multimodal literacy practices and (b) the usefulness of the curriculum helped students enhance their intrinsic motivation to learn and compose. By questioning fundamental assumptions about what counts as knowledge in the current ecology of literacies, the authors argue for a dynamic view of literacy into practice.