Mediation, Multimodality and Multiliteracies

Abstract

In this chapter we start by exploring the sociocultural concept of mediation. Human learning is mediated through interaction with others, using language as well as other ‘mediational tools’. In our context these are ‘participant interaction’, ‘tasks’ and ‘technology’. While the new technologies have been developed to offer modes that resemble those used in face-to-face environments (speech, writing, image, etc.), the computer medium allows for different affordances. We define this concept and examine the modes and affordances of different CMC environments and discuss the implications of these affordances and differences for language learning. The focus of the last section is the change from ‘page to screen’ (Snyder, 1998) which has resulted in the development of the concept of multiliteracies.