A Multimodal Framework for Computer Mediated Learning: The Reshaping of Curriculum Knowledge and Learning

Dossier served to provide a visual multimodal filter with which to engage with the
characters within the context of the novel.

Several students’ interaction with the Dossier section of the CD-ROM was mediated
by the combination of image, music and song. These students selected the character
files with visual links to songs. Just as Justin and Ben^ςwatched^, the ‘novel as film’,
and Natasha and Holly ‘read’ the ‘novel as comic’, these students engaged with the
‘novel as musical’. Song and music was a central feature of several students’
engagement with the character Curly’s wife. During one 50 minute lesson, for
example, two students, Kate and Carol returned to Curly’s Wife’s song on three
occasions, Ieamt some of the words, and quietly sang along to the chorus.

Kate, and Carol decided after using the CD-ROM to focus on the character Curly’s
wife in their course work. The song sang by the character was given by them as the
reason for this change (transcript 4.3).

Transcript 4.3: Excerpt from the discussion in the classroom after using the CD-ROM

Kate: Γm doing Curly’s wife

Teacher: And that’s a change isn’t it? You didn’t do Curly’s wife before?

Kate: No I did Lennie before.

Teacher: So why have you changed?

Kate: I didn’t know that she sang.

Teacher: You like the song. And what was it about the song? Because I think you and Carol
because both you and Carol have chosen to do Curly’s wife, it’s a change for both of
you. And I think for both of you the song was very significant wasn’t it?

[students nod heads]

Teacher: So Carol, what is it about the song?

Carol: I liked listening to it, one reason I liked it is cos when she’s singin’ its about how she
feels, and, and that’s what I think.

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