The e-Learning Ecologies MOOC has been updated to better reflect how learners today understand and express knowledge in digital environments. One key update is the introduction of multimodal meaning. This concept refers to learning and communication that involves more than one mode, such as text, images, audio, video, symbols, gestures, and interactive digital tools. In online learning, meaning comes from the combination of different modes that support understanding, not just from written words.

In many e-learning environments, learners encounter information through videos, podcasts, infographics, animations, discussion posts, and online activities. This MOOC update recognizes that learners, especially those in Alternative Learning Systems (ALS) and other non-traditional settings, benefit from various ways to learn and demonstrate what they know. Some learners grasp concepts better through visuals, while others understand better through listening or hands-on and collaborative activities. Multimodal learning lets learners choose modes that suit their strengths, experiences, and real-life situations.

The updated e-Learning Ecologies MOOC encourages learners to take an active role in making meaning. Instead of just reading and writing, they can create short videos, digital posters, photo essays, voice recordings, or ePortfolios to explain their ideas. These activities help develop creativity, critical thinking, and digital literacy, making learning more engaging and relevant. Multimodal meaning also supports inclusive education by reducing obstacles for learners with limited reading skills, language challenges, or disrupted schooling.

For teachers, the update highlights the need to design lessons that are clear, accessible, and flexible. Educators receive guidance on how to combine modes effectively, provide clear instructions, and establish transparent assessment criteria that recognize both content and effort. Feedback is aimed at helping learners improve their ideas across different modes rather than evaluating technical skills alone.

Overall, integrating multimodal meaning strengthens the e-Learning Ecologies MOOC by promoting equity, learner agency, and lifelong learning. It reflects the realities of digital life and prepares learners to communicate and engage confidently in modern learning and work environments.

• Jovilyn Fernandez

The e-Learning Ecologies MOOC has been updated to better reflect how learners today understand and express knowledge in digital environments. One key update is the introduction of multimodal meaning. This concept refers to learning and communication that involves more than one mode, such as text, images, audio, video, symbols, gestures, and interactive digital tools. In online learning, meaning comes from the combination of different modes that support understanding, not just from written words.

In many e-learning environments, learners encounter information through videos, podcasts, infographics, animations, discussion posts, and online activities. This MOOC update recognizes that learners, especially those in Alternative Learning Systems (ALS) and other non-traditional settings, benefit from various ways to learn and demonstrate what they know. Some learners grasp concepts better through visuals, while others understand better through listening or hands-on and collaborative activities. Multimodal learning lets learners choose modes that suit their strengths, experiences, and real-life situations.

The updated e-Learning Ecologies MOOC encourages learners to take an active role in making meaning. Instead of just reading and writing, they can create short videos, digital posters, photo essays, voice recordings, or ePortfolios to explain their ideas. These activities help develop creativity, critical thinking, and digital literacy, making learning more engaging and relevant. Multimodal meaning also supports inclusive education by reducing obstacles for learners with limited reading skills, language challenges, or disrupted schooling.

For teachers, the update highlights the need to design lessons that are clear, accessible, and flexible. Educators receive guidance on how to combine modes effectively, provide clear instructions, and establish transparent assessment criteria that recognize both content and effort. Feedback is aimed at helping learners improve their ideas across different modes rather than evaluating technical skills alone.

Overall, integrating multimodal meaning strengthens the e-Learning Ecologies MOOC by promoting equity, learner agency, and lifelong learning. It reflects the realities of digital life and prepares learners to communicate and engage confidently in modern learning and work environments.

• Jovilyn Fernandez

The e-Learning Ecologies MOOC has been updated to better reflect how learners today understand and express knowledge in digital environments. One key update is the introduction of multimodal meaning. This concept refers to learning and communication that involves more than one mode, such as text, images, audio, video, symbols, gestures, and interactive digital tools. In online learning, meaning comes from the combination of different modes that support understanding, not just from written words.

In many e-learning environments, learners encounter information through videos, podcasts, infographics, animations, discussion posts, and online activities. This MOOC update recognizes that learners, especially those in Alternative Learning Systems (ALS) and other non-traditional settings, benefit from various ways to learn and demonstrate what they know. Some learners grasp concepts better through visuals, while others understand better through listening or hands-on and collaborative activities. Multimodal learning lets learners choose modes that suit their strengths, experiences, and real-life situations.

The updated e-Learning Ecologies MOOC encourages learners to take an active role in making meaning. Instead of just reading and writing, they can create short videos, digital posters, photo essays, voice recordings, or ePortfolios to explain their ideas. These activities help develop creativity, critical thinking, and digital literacy, making learning more engaging and relevant. Multimodal meaning also supports inclusive education by reducing obstacles for learners with limited reading skills, language challenges, or disrupted schooling.

For teachers, the update highlights the need to design lessons that are clear, accessible, and flexible. Educators receive guidance on how to combine modes effectively, provide clear instructions, and establish transparent assessment criteria that recognize both content and effort. Feedback is aimed at helping learners improve their ideas across different modes rather than evaluating technical skills alone.

Overall, integrating multimodal meaning strengthens the e-Learning Ecologies MOOC by promoting equity, learner agency, and lifelong learning. It reflects the realities of digital life and prepares learners to communicate and engage confidently in modern learning and work environments.

• Jovilyn Fernandez

The e-Learning Ecologies MOOC has been updated to better reflect how learners today understand and express knowledge in digital environments. One key update is the introduction of multimodal meaning. This concept refers to learning and communication that involves more than one mode, such as text, images, audio, video, symbols, gestures, and interactive digital tools. In online learning, meaning comes from the combination of different modes that support understanding, not just from written words.

In many e-learning environments, learners encounter information through videos, podcasts, infographics, animations, discussion posts, and online activities. This MOOC update recognizes that learners, especially those in Alternative Learning Systems (ALS) and other non-traditional settings, benefit from various ways to learn and demonstrate what they know. Some learners grasp concepts better through visuals, while others understand better through listening or hands-on and collaborative activities. Multimodal learning lets learners choose modes that suit their strengths, experiences, and real-life situations.

The updated e-Learning Ecologies MOOC encourages learners to take an active role in making meaning. Instead of just reading and writing, they can create short videos, digital posters, photo essays, voice recordings, or ePortfolios to explain their ideas. These activities help develop creativity, critical thinking, and digital literacy, making learning more engaging and relevant. Multimodal meaning also supports inclusive education by reducing obstacles for learners with limited reading skills, language challenges, or disrupted schooling.

For teachers, the update highlights the need to design lessons that are clear, accessible, and flexible. Educators receive guidance on how to combine modes effectively, provide clear instructions, and establish transparent assessment criteria that recognize both content and effort. Feedback is aimed at helping learners improve their ideas across different modes rather than evaluating technical skills alone.

Overall, integrating multimodal meaning strengthens the e-Learning Ecologies MOOC by promoting equity, learner agency, and lifelong learning. It reflects the realities of digital life and prepares learners to communicate and engage confidently in modern learning and work environments.

• Jovilyn Fernandez

One of the techniques we use in classrooms is by using games. We often think of games as only entertainment, but many games today are actually powerful learning tools. Games are multimodal tool as it uses different forms of communication all at the same time. We use our vision, our oral sense, even our hearing. It has different interactive elements that involves rewards and even a rich storytelling experience. When all of these are combined, they could support a diversity of learners and help make learning more natural.



One common example is Kahoot!. Instead of passively listening to a review lesson, students jump into a quiz game where they respond to colorful visuals and quick timers while getting instant feedback on how they’re doing. The excitement and friendly competition keep them interested, and the concepts stick better because their brains are active the whole time.



Here’s an article that explains how games can strengthen problem-solving and creativity in education:

https://www.jisc.ac.uk/news/five-reasons-video-games-can-help-kids-learn-03-jan-2020



For me, learning through games matter as it could easily connect with the emotional well-being of our learners. Aside from this, learning through games allow learning in different speeds, which makes learning more learner-centered and flexible.



Learning does not always need to feel like a test. It can be fun, engaging, flexible, and interesting, which might be one of the strongest forms of motivation of learning. And games, is one big proof of that.

• Krisha Satera

One of the techniques we use in classrooms is by using games. We often think of games as only entertainment, but many games today are actually powerful learning tools. Games are multimodal tool as it uses different forms of communication all at the same time. We use our vision, our oral sense, even our hearing. It has different interactive elements that involves rewards and even a rich storytelling experience. When all of these are combined, they could support a diversity of learners and help make learning more natural.



One common example is Kahoot!. Instead of passively listening to a review lesson, students jump into a quiz game where they respond to colorful visuals and quick timers while getting instant feedback on how they’re doing. The excitement and friendly competition keep them interested, and the concepts stick better because their brains are active the whole time.



Here’s an article that explains how games can strengthen problem-solving and creativity in education:

https://www.jisc.ac.uk/news/five-reasons-video-games-can-help-kids-learn-03-jan-2020



For me, learning through games matter as it could easily connect with the emotional well-being of our learners. Aside from this, learning through games allow learning in different speeds, which makes learning more learner-centered and flexible.



Learning does not always need to feel like a test. It can be fun, engaging, flexible, and interesting, which might be one of the strongest forms of motivation of learning. And games, is one big proof of that.

• Krisha Satera

Learning Games: Making Education Fun and Building Bonds

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Learning games in education are very important, especially since students today are really into technology. Their interest in different online games is very clear and evident. Instead of taking away what they love doing, we educators should see this as a chance to connect with them. By understanding their interests, we can gain their trust and show them that we can easily get along with them.

Using games to teach new information is a great approach. When we incorporate games into our lessons, it makes learning more enjoyable and exciting for students. This fun atmosphere can help spark their interest and make them more willing to participate in class activities. When students are engaged and having fun, they are more likely to remember the new information being taught to them.

Games can be used in many different subjects, from math to science to language arts. For example, we can use quiz games to review important concepts or educational apps that allow students to practice skills in a fun way. These games can also encourage friendly competition, which can motivate students to do their best.

Moreover, learning games can help develop important skills such as teamwork, communication, and critical thinking. When students play games together, they learn how to work with others and solve problems as a group. This collaborative learning experience can create a positive classroom environment where students feel comfortable sharing their ideas.

In conclusion, integrating learning games into education is a powerful way to engage students and enhance their learning experience. By using what they love, we can make lessons more effective and enjoyable, helping them retain information better and preparing them for future challenges.


https://educationandbehavior.com/using-games-in-teaching/

• Phoebe Serrano

Learning Games: Making Education Fun and Building Bonds

12082025GBUI4113

Learning games in education are very important, especially since students today are really into technology. Their interest in different online games is very clear and evident. Instead of taking away what they love doing, we educators should see this as a chance to connect with them. By understanding their interests, we can gain their trust and show them that we can easily get along with them.

Using games to teach new information is a great approach. When we incorporate games into our lessons, it makes learning more enjoyable and exciting for students. This fun atmosphere can help spark their interest and make them more willing to participate in class activities. When students are engaged and having fun, they are more likely to remember the new information being taught to them.

Games can be used in many different subjects, from math to science to language arts. For example, we can use quiz games to review important concepts or educational apps that allow students to practice skills in a fun way. These games can also encourage friendly competition, which can motivate students to do their best.

Moreover, learning games can help develop important skills such as teamwork, communication, and critical thinking. When students play games together, they learn how to work with others and solve problems as a group. This collaborative learning experience can create a positive classroom environment where students feel comfortable sharing their ideas.

In conclusion, integrating learning games into education is a powerful way to engage students and enhance their learning experience. By using what they love, we can make lessons more effective and enjoyable, helping them retain information better and preparing them for future challenges.


https://educationandbehavior.com/using-games-in-teaching/

• Phoebe Serrano

Visual Learning as a Multimodal Meaning Approach
Visual learning has become one of the most powerful ways to support understanding in today’s digital learning environments. Instead of relying only on written text or spoken explanations, visual learning integrates images, diagrams, icons, videos, color, and spatial organization to help learners make sense of information more quickly and more deeply. This approach aligns directly with the multimodal meaning dimension introduced in the e-Learning Ecologies course, where meaning is created across multiple modes—not just through words, but also through visuals, audio, and interactivity.
At its core, visual learning recognizes that a large portion of the human brain is dedicated to processing visual information. Research in cognitive science consistently shows that people tend to remember images and structured visuals more easily than long passages of text. For example, infographics, mind maps, and illustrated explanations help learners identify relationships, patterns, and hierarchies that might be difficult to grasp in purely written form. Visual learning also supports multilingual and diverse classrooms, because visuals reduce linguistic barriers and make concepts accessible regardless of a learner’s first language.
A clear example of visual learning in practice is the use of digital infographics created with tools like Canva or Piktochart. A teacher preparing a lesson on climate change might present a visual timeline, a labeled diagram of greenhouse gases, or a map showing temperature changes over time. Instead of lecturing for long periods, the teacher can guide students to interpret visuals, compare representations, and explain insights in their own words. This invites students to become active knowledge makers, not passive receivers. Another example is the use of educational videos or short animations, where complex ideas are broken down step by step using color, motion, and visual analogies.
Visual learning is especially effective in online and blended settings because digital environments naturally support multiple modes of representation. Screens allow for combining text, images, color, motion, and audio seamlessly. Learners can pause, replay, zoom, annotate, or take screenshots—interactions that deepen understanding and encourage self-regulation.
In addition, visual learning fosters critical digital literacy. When students create their own infographics, slides, or digital posters, they learn how to communicate ideas clearly, evaluate the quality of visual information, and design knowledge for an audience. This develops skills that are increasingly necessary in academic, professional, and public communication.
Ultimately, visual learning shows how multimodal meaning enriches teaching and learning. It expands what counts as knowledge, encourages creativity, and empowers learners to interpret and produce meaning using diverse forms—not only written text.
Mayer, Richard E. (2009). Multimedia Learning. Cambridge University Press.
Zhang, D., Zhou, L., Briggs, R., & Nunamaker, J. (2006). “Instructional Video in E-learning.” Information & Management.
Clark, R. C., & Lyons, C. (2010). Graphics for Learning. Wiley.
New London Group (1996). “A Pedagogy of Multiliteracies.” Harvard Educational Review.
Brumberger, E. (2019). “Visual Literacy and the Digital Learning Environment.” Journal of Visual Literacy 38(1).

• Ghizlane Rahmani

Representaciones multimodales del conocimiento.
Vincular, texto, video, audio, diagramas y otros medios, es lo que se requiere por parte del alumno para construir nuevo y propio conocimiento. Así entonces, este concepto se define como el proceso a través del cual los alumnos consolidan la comprensión de un tema, considerando varios recursos y entonces el aprendizaje se presenta cuando el estudiante hace suyo el significado del conocimiento adquirido, para así, desafiar al aprendizaje por medio de la sólo escritura, para convertirse en el modo de demostrar el conocimiento en el aula.
Existen varios ejemplos para lograrlo:
La Storytelling: que le permite a estudiante crear un documental breve combinando fotografías, texto, música, archivos y narraciones orales propios que le permiten personalizar su propio conocimiento. Dado que no sólo le permite retener información sino alfabetizarse digitalmente, a aprender a sintetizar u organizar información compleja por medios digitales para hacerla más digerible.
El uso de pizarras tácticas digitales, le permite al alumno interactuar por medio de gestos, para manipular elementos, por ejemplo, los geométricos, para poder alterar sus dimensiones, y valores numéricos en tiempo real, lo que le ayuda a conectar de forma kinestésica con su propia representación simbólica, abstracta para poder aclararla y luego expresarla por medio del lenguaje.
Algunos de los retos a los que se enfrenta esta modalidad de aprendizaje son en cuanto a:
La validez de la evaluación: al no poder establecer criterios estandarizados, frente a grupos numerosos.
La sobrecarga cognitiva: dado que, si el aprendizaje no se diseña de forma correcta, las múltiples representaciones que se pueden generar, pueden llegar a saturar los diferentes canales de procesamiento de la información (visual, auditivo, etc.), que pueden obstaculizar un aprendizaje eficiente.
Igualmente, el reto del cambio de práctica de varios docentes, al pasar del texto impreso para diseñar sus actividades, hacia narrativas digitales que le exigen competencias multimodales que requiere aprender.
Adami, E. (2009). 'We/YouTube': Exploring sign-making in video-interaction. Visual Communication, 8(4), 379–399. (PDF) ‘We/YouTube’: Exploring sign-making in video-interaction
Ainsworth, S., Prain, V., & Tytler, R. (2011). Drawing to learn in science. Science, 333(6046), 1096-1097. (PDF) Drawing to Learn in Science
Jewitt, C. (2008). Multimodality and Literacy in School Classrooms. Review of Research in Education, 32(1), 241–267. (PDF) Multimodality and Literacy in School Classrooms
Mayer, R. E. (Ed.). (2014). The Cambridge Handbook of Multimedia Learning (2nd ed.). Cambridge University Press. The Cambridge Handbook of Multimedia Learning
Robin, B. R. (2008). Digital Storytelling: A Powerful Technology Tool for the 21st Century Classroom. Theory Into Practice, 47(3), 220–228. Digital Storytelling: A Powerful Technology Tool for the 21st Century Classroom: Theory Into Practice: Vol 47, No 3

• Salvador Castillo