P5 Multimodal Scaffolding for Student Motivation and Engagement: A Case Study of Two Remote, Synchronous Zoom Courses

Presenters

Vinita Agarwal, Communication

Abstract

In this session, multimodal scaffolding strategies employed for increasing student motivation and engagement and lessons learned are presented through the case of two of my synchronous, remote, Zoom-based senior-level communication Fall 2020 courses. The presentation will provide an in-depth look at the course design and application principles that guided the primary goal of supporting independent student engagement with the foundational principles and of cultivating an empowering learning environment through individual-and small-group interaction, peer critique, and real-life, industry-or community-facing experiential application. Both the COMM 341 Health Communication and COMM 445 Digital Public Relations courses sought to balance learning application and engagement through the student's community-and experiential application of theory as the primary mode of assessment. This overarching goal was implemented through a flipped classroom, inquiry-based approach, directed toward engaging students through cultivating an authentic virtual learning experience (Bloomberg, 2020). The setting drew upon the use of learning management systems and multi-modal approaches encompassing text, imagery, and video, and was scaffolded by a dialogue-driven, direct, in-person instructional approach emphasizing immediacy and interaction. The poster will first, present the course design flow illustrating the flipped classroom format, ongoing instructor engagement, asynchronous peer interaction, multi-modal application, and direct, textual, video-based face-to-face interaction on Zoom. Second, it will present the use of the learning platform, specific instructional techniques, and selection of multimodal approaches to engage and motivate students with different learning styles in a synchronous, live, remote environment. Third, it will share the activities designed to create opportunities for each student to build their self-efficacy through deliberative engagement, and to illustrate their grasp of the knowledge domain through its delivery in real-life community or industry-based contexts. Fourth, it will present the shared lessons of the collaborative student-driven and instructor-guided journey as it co-evolved through grappling with the challenges and messiness of a virtual environment.

Pre-Recorded Session

Discussion

Join us for an active discussion on multi-modal scaffolding.