1. Matthew Andrew Zayed University, Abu Dhabi, UAE
Using Multimodality and Mobile Learning for Prewriting Composition Tasks
Matthew Andrew
Zayed University, Abu Dhabi, UAE

2. Context
Arabic-speaking students at an English-medium instruction university in Abu Dhabi Sequence of 3 Composition Courses Students mostly comfortable with technology

3. Prewriting Process for Essays
Brainstorming
Researching + Note Taking
Outlining
Drafts of the Essay

4. Word or Paper vs Multimodal

5. iPad or Macbook Choice of apps Prezi and iBooks Author most popular

6. The Literature
Prewriting strategies can help learners with writing proficiency (Mahnam & Nejadansari, 2012; Akinwamide, 2012; Alhaisoni, 2012)

7. “Multiliteracies” (New London Group, 1996) Move from written word to image; textbook to screen (Kress, 2003)

8. Provides a “leveling effect” for L2 writers and can increase authorial voice (Nelson, 2006).

9. The Problem
Students don’t do prewriting, (or don’t do it well), and prefer to just write their essay. This may cause problems later with disorganization and lack of content.

10. The Gap
Previous studies done with multi-modality in the composition classroom, but nothing with multimodal prewriting.

11. Methods

12. Research Questions
Do students enjoy doing prewriting tasks and find them useful?
Will enjoyment and perceived usefulness increase if they produce prewriting assignments using multimodal composition?
Are there any other benefits—understanding new vocabulary, awareness of audience, sharing ideas?

13. Participants
73 out of 90 students participated 2 cohorts of participants Spring 2014: n=46 Fall 2014: n=27

14. Research Design
Students do traditional prewriting activities on Word or paper

18. Research Design Step 1: Pre-intervention:
questionnaires + interviews after these traditional prewriting tasks

19. Step 2: Intervention Students do multimodal prewriting tasks using apps on Macbook or iPad

20. Prewriting Task 1
Brainstorming + Research Notes
Prezi
Keynote
iMovie
7.5% of grade
Prewriting Task 2
Outlining
iBooks Author
Creative Book Builder

21. Prezi for Brainstorming + Note Taking

22. Prezi for Brainstorming

26. iBooks Author for Outlining

30. Step 3: Post-intervention questionnaires + interviews following multimodal prewriting tasks

31. Results

32. Comparison of Traditional vs. Multimodal: Spring 2014 (n=46)
Agree
Disagree
I enjoyed them
56%
44%
69%
31%
They helped me understand the content
96% 4%
76%
24%

33. Traditional
Multimodal
Agree
Disagree
Organize big parts of my essay
90%
10%
78%
22%
Organize parts within my paragraph
63%
37%
Necessary to write a good essay
81%
19%
85%
15%

34. Fall 2014: (n=27) Traditional Neither Multimodal Agree Disagree
I enjoyed them
48%
24%
60%
11%
They helped me understand the content
76%
12%
82% 0%
They made writing my essay easier
80%

35. Fall 2014 (n=27) Traditional Neither Multimodal Agree Disagree
Organize big parts of my essay
80%
12%
74% 4%
Organize parts within my paragraph
64%
71% 8%
Necessary to write a good essay
60%
20%
70% 7%

36. What type of prewriting do you prefer?
Multimodal
Traditional
No Preference
Spring (n=46)
54%
39% 7%

37. What type of prewriting do you prefer?
Multimodal
Traditional
No Preference
Fall 2014 (n=24)
63%
26%
(option not available)

38. Why? Multimodal Traditional Interesting/Motivating/Enjoya ble 19
Less time 7
Understanding content better 8
Easier/less work 6
Easier for writing
Straight forward/ clear 5

39. …. “with Microsoft Word the student isn’t involved in the topics
…. “with Microsoft Word the student isn’t involved in the topics. They can’t feel it...but, with the pictures, with the voice, with the colour, he can like, feel what the situation, how it speak.”

40. “Last semester for brainstorming I used MS Word…it was boring because I like using other apps…using the video kept me inspired….I kept looking at other videos and ideas…it helped me with extra research…”

41. Participants who liked the traditional prewriting tasks said:

42. “I didn’t like [the multimodal]…I focused more on visuals, and I put more effort into how it would look, how it would sound—all of the unnecessary details instead of focusing on the actual information. I thought it was too distracting.”

43. “I made a multi-model outline for class, but I did another Microsoft word outline back home.”

44. One student who thought it depended on the learner:

45. “I believe that there's not a big difference between both prewriting structures. It mainly depends on the student, some people would prefer pictures and audio to understand their ideas better while other students might benefit otherwise.”

46. iPad vs Laptop

47. Device Preference Laptop Tablet (iPad) Other
Laptop
Tablet (iPad)
Other
What device did you prefer to use when you made your project?
86% 2%
11%

48. Did you use a phone or tablet
Yes NO
Did you use a smart phone or tablet to do any part of your project?
64%
36%

49. What did you use it for? Themes that came up Recording voice 10
Recording video 5
Brainstorming 3

50. What did they use for their next English Composition Class?

51. Comparison of same group after English Composition III essay
Multimodal
Traditional
No Preference
Fall 2014 (n=31)
English Comp III
50%
30%
20%
Multimodal 54% Traditional 39% No preference 7%

52. Using apps and mobile devices
Yes No
Did you use apps to brainstorm or do outlines
39%
61%

53. Outlines Yes No Do you think outlines should be marked 58% 42%
If there weren’t any marks, would you still do an outline?
80%
20%

54. Conclusion
Students value prewriting activities, even if they don’t enjoy them. 
Multimodal was more enjoyable, while traditional was more useful for understanding content and organizing information.
Traditional was more direct and less time-consuming.
Multimodal vs. Traditional comes down to learner preferences. 
Do students who are not as advanced in writing and reading benefit more from multimodal prewriting tasks?
Is technology really enhancing learning or is it creating extra, unnecessary work?

55. References
Akinwamide, T. (2012). The Influence of Process Approach on English as a Second Language Students’ Performances in Essay Writing. English Language Teaching, 5(3),
Alhaisoni, E. (2012). The Effect of Writing Proficiency on Writing Planning Strategy Use: A Case Study of Saudi Learners of English. International Journal of Linguistics, 4(3),
Apple. (2015). Retrieved from
Daniel, M., Shin, D. S., Harrison, C., and Aoki, E. (2014). Examining Paths to Digital Literacies for English Language Learners. Illinois Reading Council Journal, 42(4),
Kress, G. (2003). Literacy in the New Media Age. Abingdon, Oxon: Rutledge.
Mahnam, L., & Nejadansari, D. (2012). The Effects of Different Pre-Writing Strategies on Iranian EFL Writing Achievement. International Education Studies, 5(1),
National Council of Teachers of English. (2005). NCTE Position Statement on Multimodal Literacies. Retrieved from
Nelson, M. (2006). Mode, meaning, and synaesthesia in Multimedia L2 Writing. Language Learning & Teaching, 10(2),
New London Group. (1996). A Pedagogy of Multiliteracies. Harvard Educational Review, 66 (1).
Prezi (2015). Retrieved from
Shin, D., and Cimasko, T. (2008). Multimodal Composition in a College ESL Class: New Tools, Traditional Norms. Computers and Composition, 25,
Stevens, V. (2012). Web 2.0 Toolkit for Teaching and Learning EFL Presentation Skill. Teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language: The Electronic Journal for English as a Second Language, (16)2, 1-7.