Augmented Reality (AR) is an emerging media technology that overlays digital content, such as images, text, video, or 3D objects—onto the real world through devices like smartphones, tablets, or AR glasses (e.g., Apple Vision Pro, Microsoft HoloLens, or Snapchat's AR filters).
Multimodality in AR: Distinctive Modes of Expression
According to the Multiliteracies framework (New London Group, 1996), communication is multimodal—meaning it involves multiple modes or ways of making meaning, such as:
Linguistic (written/spoken language)
Visual (images, color, layout)
Spatial (arrangement and orientation)
Gestural (movement, facial expression)
Audio (sound, music)
Multimodal (a combination of modes)
AR expresses meaning across multiple modes simultaneously in highly interactive ways. Here's how:
Mode AR Expression
Visual 3D objects, layered text, holograms, visual annotations over physical spaces
Spatial Real-time positioning of content in the user's environment (e.g., on a desk or wall)
Gestural Interaction through gestures (e.g., tapping, swiping, moving your head or hands)
Linguistic Embedded text or voice instructions tied to specific locations or objects
Audio Spatialized sound that reacts to your movement or attention
Example: In an AR museum guide, users can point their phone at a painting and see it come to life with animation, narration, text, and clickable icons for deeper learning—all layered on the actual artwork in real space.
�� Implications for Human Meaning-Making
AR expands how we construct and interpret meaning, blending digital and physical realities:
1. Contextualized Learning
Meaning is shaped by where and how the content appears. For instance, AR in education allows students to interact with a virtual beating heart while studying biology, increasing embodied learning and understanding.
2. Embodied and Situated Communication
AR engages the body and environment—meaning is not just read or heard but experienced. This creates a deeper, more situated form of knowledge-making.
3. Personalized and Participatory Media
Users don't just consume content—they manipulate, reposition, and co-create it, allowing for more agentive meaning-making.
4. Bridging Literacy Gaps
AR can provide multilingual, visual, or audio support that helps diverse learners access information in ways that traditional text-based media may not.

• Joeval Fiel

We cannot deny the power of digital platforms and technology, as they have become integral parts of our daily lives, influencing the way we communicate, learn, work, and even make decisions. In today’s interconnected world, these tools serve as gateways to information, opportunities, and innovation, shaping not only individual growth but also the progress of society as a whole.

• Mary Joy Vitto

The arrival of media literacy is now controversial. We called it one of the best tools to collect and receive any important messages or information, as well as to deliver information, but through these learning courses. I've learned that no matter how effective media literacy is, it should still be monitored and have proper teaching on how to use it, especially for all students, for them to avoid miscommunications and misunderstandings.

• Jenebeth Dela Monte

As this digital era keeps evolving, we can't deny that it brings many advantages to us humans. It helps us, as citizens, stay informed about what’s happening in our surroundings. If we could just learn how to use it the right way, it would have a big impact on our lives.

• Johana Casandra Clet

I selected TikTok as a new media space. TikTok is extremely multimodal--it incorporates short-form video, audio, music, text, filters, and social interactivity such as duets and stitches. The modes collectively develop compelling messages that frequently are funny, moving, or convincing. Using Multiliteracies, TikTok demonstrates how meaning-making today goes beyond the palabra and incorporates visuals, sounds, and social connectedness. The corollary is that in the future to be literate means understanding how to communicate compellingly through all the modes, not solely through the classical reading and writing.

• Princess May Sabañao

Shifting into the new media of today is probably the best decision we have ever made. From lacking of communication and awareness to using television and telephones to keep you updated of what is happening is something that ignites every human being.

• Althea Mae Hicap

How Social Media is Reshaping Literacy 


If you look around any coffee shop, classroom, or family dinner table today, you'll probably see people scrolling through their phones, engaging with social media. It's wild how platforms like Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, and X (what we used to call Twitter) have basically woven themselves into the fabric of our daily lives. We're not just using them to kill time anymore, they have become our news sources, our soapboxes for causes we care about, and the spaces where we figure out and express who we are. What's fascinating about how we communicate on social media is just how rich and layered it's become. Think about it: when you post something, you're not just typing words. You're choosing the perfect photo, maybe adding a video, throwing in some emojis, and sometimes going live to talk directly to your followers. Everything is designed to grab attention in those precious few seconds before someone scrolls past. And unlike watching TV or reading a newspaper where you just sit there and absorb, social media makes everyone a participant. You like, comment, share, argue in the comments and suddenly everyone's part of the conversation.


But here's the thing that's kind of scary: we don't really control what we see. Algorithms, these invisible decision-makers, are constantly curating our feeds, deciding what deserves our attention. Without realizing it, we're living in these personalized information bubbles. This shift is completely changing what it means to be literate in today's world. When I was in school, literacy meant you could read a book and write an essay. But now? Students need to decode Instagram stories, create TikTok videos, fact-check viral tweets, and understand why their YouTube recommendations suddenly shifted after watching one conspiracy theory video. We're not just teaching kids to read anymore, we're teaching them to navigate a digital world where anyone can publish anything, and not all of it is true. What's really exciting, though, is that this generation isn't just consuming content, they're creating it. They're making memes that spread across continents, starting movements with hashtags, and building communities around shared interests. Good education should tap into this energy, teaching students not just how to participate in digital spaces, but how to do it thoughtfully and responsibly.


Looking at how social media has transformed our daily communication, it's clear that literacy education can't stay stuck in the past. We need to prepare our future students as someone in the education field, for a world where communication is visual, interactive, and constantly evolving. The skills they need aren't just about reading and writing anymore, they're about thinking critically, creating ethically, and participating meaningfully in our digital world.

• Maria Alexis Olivar

Click, Sign, Engage: Literacies for Citizenship in the Digital Era

Two contemporary examples of literacies for citizenship are the growing use of e-government platforms and online petition campaigns. Around the world, citizens are now expected to access public services online like renewing licenses, paying taxes, or requesting official documents through government portals. At the same time, platforms like Change.org or Avaaz allow individuals to mobilize support and advocate for social causes through digital petitions. Together, these practices highlight how civic engagement has expanded into digital spaces, requiring citizens to master new forms of literacy (World Bank, 2021; Pew Research Center, 2021).

Each practice involves overlapping communicative features. Digital literacy is essential to navigate websites, complete forms, and share or sign petitions. Critical literacy ensures that individuals verify authentic government sites, evaluate policy information, and distinguish legitimate campaigns from misinformation (UNICEF, 2020). Participatory literacy comes into play when citizens engage in collective actions whether through online consultations, digital forums, or petition signatures that amplify their voices. Finally, ethical literacy underpins responsible civic behavior, such as protecting personal data, respecting dialogue, and avoiding misuse of digital tools.

For pedagogy, these shifts imply that citizenship education must prepare learners for active participation in digital democracy. Classroom activities could include practicing with mock e-government forms, analyzing the persuasive strategies of online petitions, or simulating digital town halls. Such experiences foster not only digital competence but also critical thinking, civic responsibility, and ethical awareness (Edutopia, 2020).

In this way, both e-government participation and online civic campaigns demonstrate that literacy is not just about reading and writing but it is about ensuring equitable, ethical, and meaningful engagement in democratic life in the digital era.

References:

Edutopia. (2020). Civic engagement for students in the digital age. https://www.edutopia.org/article/civic-engagement-students-digital-age

Pew Research Center. (2021, April 7). Social media and activism. https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2021/04/07/social-media-and-activism/

UNICEF. (2020). Online activism: How young people are driving change. https://www.unicef.org/globalinsight/online-activism

World Bank. (2021). Digital government for development. https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/digitalgovernment

• Stephanie Joy Bince

New media have both positive and negative impacts in the literacy. Digital platforms offer vast and easy to access information allowing expansive learning experiences to its users. It allows people to express themselves openly and creatively making them can contributors of information digitally. On the other hand, too much use of digital platforms leads to information overload, making it hard to filter the reliable resources. Misinformation and disinformation are widespread in new media platforms and scammers are taking advantage targeting the illiterate users.

• Maria Regina Javier

The history of literacy shows that the way humans communicate continues to evolve, from oral traditions to writing, and now to the digital era. An important lesson to take away is that we must be able to adapt to various forms of literacy, especially in an increasingly media-rich environment. Multiliteracy, such as the ability to understand texts, images, audio, and video, is becoming an essential skill for the future. Therefore, education must also keep up with these developments so that individuals are better prepared to face communication challenges in the digital age.

• Serly Agustina Hendarman