This article examines the teaching of a multimodal pedagogy in an online technical communication classroom. Based on the results of an e-portfolio assessment, the authors argue that multimodality can be taught successfully in the online environment if the instructor carefully plans and scaffolds each assignment. Specifically, they argue for an increased emphasis within the technical communication classroom on teaching the e-portfolio as a genre that not only exemplifies students’ multimodal literacies but also establishes their identities as technical communicators in the 21st century. This article provides a model for teaching multimodal composition in the online technical communication classroom and calls for more scholarship on teaching the e-portfolio in the digital environment.
In this entry, we argue that to promote multimodal literacy in online writing classes, instructors should address the following five practices in their course design:
• Incorporate multimodal assignments and appropriate scaffolding tools;
• Use multimodal instructional tools to teach and model multimodal composition;
• Provide multimodal feedback to students' compositions;
• "Teach" technology through the use of media labs;
• Encourage reflection as a significant part of students' learning process.
In so doing, we discuss each practice in depth, addressing the reasons and benefits for incorporating each, as well as advice about how to implement them. By implementing these practices in their online courses, instructors can successfully design classes that promote multimodal literacy.
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