From multimodal space to digital multimodal text: Making choices in digital multimodal compositions inspired by museum visits in higher education

Abstract

Access to generative artificial intelligence (AI) has transformed the pedagogical and creative potential of digital practices in multimodal pedagogies, and more specifically, digital multimodal compositions (DMC). This study aims to explore and understand choices in a DMC project from the perspectives of student experiences and the teacher's pedagogical practices including learning design, assessment, and the integration of AI in the context of a semester-long university course. To answer these questions, the case study presents the analysis of the teacher's choices in terms of course design, and scaffolding and assessment practices. It also explores the challenges students face through the analysis of their pre- and post-course questionnaires, digital multimodal composition artefacts and reflective notes. The study makes suggestions in terms of pedagogical sequences to support students’ choice-making, and the integration of semiotic software and generative AI tools into DMC projects.