"Utilizing Technology for Multimodal Learning", presented by Jack Clark

Bio: Jack Clark is a Ph.D. student in the School of Information. She has been teaching at the University of Arizona for the last few years while working in the Extended Reality and Games Laboratory (XRG Lab). She is currently working on a multi-disciplinary project researching the efficiency of digital font preferences and completing her College Teaching Certificate. She researches information processing in new age learning styles, including gamified and immersive learning techniques. Her work focuses on the inner workings of audio and visual information processing while in technologically enhanced learning environments. The hope is to understand the capabilities of modern information processing by studying visual and auditory attention and their connection to cognitive perception. 

Abstract: Multimodal learning has become paramount to continuing education under the constraints of the COVID virus this last year. It is the role of teachers to understand the nuances of multimodal learning and digital project creation as the world of education is becoming increasingly multimodal. Teachers are scrambling to create online learning environments that cater to the needs of individual students yet may be lacking the background knowledge to create a successful online classroom. Understanding these four areas of knowledge: digital literacy, information overloading, self-regulated learning, and online constructivist approaches can provide teachers a baseline of knowledge to feel more confident and successful in an online environment. This presentation will discuss theory and knowledge accumulated over years of studying educational psychology, multimodal learning, and information science at the University of Arizona. We will discuss topics like the digital divide, dual-channel processing, intuitive navigation, overabundance of resources, and how to balance autonomy in digital projects. The theories discussed in this presentation can be applied to contemporary classrooms to increase critical thinking, identity exploration, and self-directed learning in students. The hope is the collection of research discussed in this presentation will offer a bridge from traditional learning theories to modern online education. 

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