Multimodal Learning Strategies and Examples

Research 3:  Multimodal Learning Strategies and Examples by Laney Kennedy (2019)

This article gave me a really in depth understanding of multimodal learning strategies and how students can accelerate their learning as a result of the level of  engagement due to the variety of modes that students could use for meaningful learning.

• Multimodal learning in education means teaching concepts using multiple modes.

• Modes are channels of information, or anything that communicates meaning in some way, including: pictures,illustrations, audio, speech, writing and print, music, movement, gestures, facial expressions and colour.

•  One student might need as many visuals as possible, while another would swap a picture for a verbal explanation in a heartbeat. Other students need information in multiple formats for concepts to stick. This is why a multimodal approach to education is best.

• The following figure clearly illustrates the four modes that students use most often to make meaningful connections.

Figure 1: VARK model    Source: Kompas Muda

Visual learners  learn best by seeing, responding to visual cues like images, graphs or charts. 

Aural learners learn best by hearing, responding to auditory cues like verbal instruction, discussions or songs. 

Read/Write learners learn best by reading and writing, responding to written cues like lecture notes, books and cue cards. 

Kinesthetic learners learn best by doing, responding to tactile cues like movement, actions and real-life examples. 

Kennedy (2019) concludes,“A multimodal learning style works most effectively with many communication inputs, or modes. A multimodal learner will thrive in a comprehensive learning environment that uses visual, auditory and kinesthetic inputs — both verbal and non-verbal — including videos, images, actions, real-life examples and hands-on activities”.