Entry Log #4 - Multimodal Composition
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Location - The Starship: Literacy
Transmitter - Cadet Antonis Ybarra
Message goes as follows:
Enlisting to the Starship: Literacy, I had some set goals in mind. My main directive since boarding and taking my station was to execute tasks, learn strategies, and solve problems. As a result, much of my thinking is hard wired towards a methodical, almost mechanical process. This is not to diminish my willingness for flexibility nor my creativity, as I believe I possess both in droves, but to emphasize my comfortability based on past experience. To simply my rhetoric (per request of my superior, Major General Clarity), my tasks require more methodical, academic thought rather than creative.
On the odd occasion that my tasks allowed for different formats, I jumped on the opportunity to flex some different muscles. Of the one's referenced for the assignment, I have played around with video essays and zines. These two in particular are one's that I truly enjoyed and both my directors and I have enjoyed the outcome. These mediums inspire me most in particular for a number of reasons. On video essays, there are plenty of examples online that bare uniqueness even within the same medium. Video essays offer so much flexibility and freedom that in creating one, people can truly make it their own. The same stands for zines. Styles, formats, even structure can vary from piece to piece. Ultimately, I believe I enjoy these mediums most for their direct contrast to the academic work that I submit: total control versus total freedom.
These multimodal compositions can further writing skills in one simple way: creativity. In cultivating one's personal voice and style, promoting mediums that offer so much in terms of flexibility is more than fruitful for students. Although essay writing has great benefits, it is comparable to saying that one can roam free, but only within a preset area. With multimodality in general, the world becomes the playground in which to experiment. If the goal is civic engagement and complex thinking, multimodality is how we get there.
If this transmission seems a bit strange, please note that it was written after many training drills, physical duties, and a few bouts of healthy stress relief. Apologies to my commanding officers, prayers to my fellow cadets, and hopefully a couple hours of sleep for me.
Cadet Antonis Ybarra, signing off.
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ReplyDeleteLocation - An Inexplicably Cold Room
Transmitter - Cadet Adam Jaye
Message goes as follows:
I like your point that stylistic differences in video essays are comparable to developing a writing voice in traditional writing. I think this could be a good way to convince the higher-ups the academic merit and training potential that video essays, and multimodality as a whole, can bring to a squadron. As a cadet who has done a video essay himself, I am curious what you have done yours on in the past, if you are willing to share.
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Hello Cadet Antonis! I hope everything is going well in space. I really enjoyed reading your thoughts about multimodal composition and I couldn't agree more with the statement: "If the goal is civic engagement and complex thinking, multimodality is how we get there." Multimodality allows students to question the learning practices and expression avenues they've historically used and create something wholly new. We want to foster minds that think outside of the box. How are students expected to do this when the ways they express their learning are always inside of the box? You brought up some really great points! Cadet Isabel out!
ReplyDeleteHi Cadet Antonis!
ReplyDeleteI’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: the “Starship” theme makes your posts really fun to read! It’s a creative way to show your thinking about writing and learning. I liked how you described your usual approach to writing as more methodical or academic, but still being open to experimenting when the opportunity comes up. I feel the same way. I’m definitely getting better at finding my voice, but the transition away from purely academic writing has been difficult. That balance between structure and creativity is interesting, and I think multimodal composition fits really well. Like you said, video essays and zines give writers a lot more flexibility to experiment with style, structure, and voice. I also agree with your point that multimodal composition can help develop creativity and personal voice. Traditional essays definitely have their place, but projects like video essays allow students to organize ideas, build arguments, and communicate meaning in different ways. I think giving students those options could really help them explore their ideas deeper while also developing their own style as writers. -Tyler Dickson