learning - Academic Conferences Limited

Mutlimodal Teaching Through ICT Education: An e-
Twinning Program as a Case Study of Intercultural
Exchange
Paraskevi Kanari and Georgios Potamias
National Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece
viviandeesse@yahoo.fr
giogeo_gr@yahoo.co.uk
Abstract: Multimodality is a key factor in promoting knowledge through multidimensional aspects in an approach,
determined by social environment. In the approach presented, school is a part of an accepted social context. This
paper shows that development of critical visual literacy via ICT education and e-learning combined with
conventional activities can be an innovative multidisciplinary approach for the development of pedagogical
projects. The cultural program in particular presented, which was carried out in the island of Spetses in Greece,
was integrated in this approach. The ultimate goal was to create a film transfer of a local legend by the students
of Spetses’ junior high an area culturally challenged. The program was integrated to an e-twinning project (elearning
European exchange program) concerning revitalizing local legends through e-learning, filmmaking,
teaching local History through French language and intercultural exchange with the cooperation of two European
schools, one in the Greek island of Spetses and one in Chorwovie in Poland. Through this e-learning project the
students carried out a different multimodal approach of French Language and Local Culture achieving the
development of their creativity and imagination through cultural e-interactivity and their cognitive and social
awareness as well.
Keywords: multimodal approach, social semiotics, e-twinning, cinema, local history, public school
1. Multimodality and cinematographic education
In a time of intense semiotic, visual stimulus (Cocula & Peyroutet 1999: 10) (medias, computer,
cinema) an educational system that stays attached to the “ex cathedra”(traditional frontal) method of
teaching is impossible to correspond to the interests and needs of modern day students and it is
inevitably boring in comparison to their every day learning experiences. The case of critical visual
literacy which is defined as the ability of understanding, decoding, producing and criticizing visual
messages is in our times more indispensable than ever (Kress& Van Leeuwen 1996:3; Pleios
2005:238). According to Sankey (2005: 2) a widespread development of critical visual literacy is
necessary in order to cultivate and enhance the ability of reading and semiologically decoding both a
text and an image as a whole or separately. Schirato & Yell (1996: 209) add that in western societies,
a literate person will be considered primary one that can identify, read, analyze and develop a wide
variety of visual signs and interactive stimulus. Researches on imagery and its semiotic sustainability
(Levie & Lentz 1982) prove that images can largely promote teaching and social based knowledge.
The most important advantages of teaching through the use of images are:
The images are stocked easily in long term memory, creating information as connecting parts or
meanings in human memory.
Images provoke a wide range of reactions like the rise and wakening of imagination. They create
connections; they promote and cultivate creative thinking and abstract imagination.
The readers or users of teaching material prefer illustrative material for its higher information
quality.
The combination of imagery and text is more effective in promoting comprehension than the text
alone.
The images can be useful in understanding and learning abstract meanings that can be hardly
expressed with words.
Images can help mentally or physically challenged students in learning efficiently.
The teaching use of images is proved more effective when teaching is connected with the flexible
and combined use of internet; computer enhanced virtual environments and cinema (Kress 2005:
11-12).
The role of the teacher is to create an educational and pedagogical environment that could encourage
students’ critical thinking towards imagery (images of whatever status or quality) as the increasing
number of visual stimulus make students confuse reality with the virtual reality of computer or visual
340