Engaging Undergraduate Engineers in Oral Presentations: A Multimodal Approach

Abstract

Global connectedness and digital revolution have reshaped workplace oral communication requirements. Industries today call for engineers with excellent oral communication and presentation skills. In response to this, this research attempts to move from a monomodal to a multimodal approach in teaching oral presentations for undergraduate engineers. The Learning by Design Model (LBDM) by Kalantzis and Cope (2005) is used as a framework in the teaching of oral presentation using a multimodal approach. Findings from a qualitative inquiry illustrate that the multimodal learning environment with its multiple modalities have provided a group of low proficiency undergraduates great opportunities and autonomy to mediate oral communication.Thus, this study suggests that language instructors design learning experiences that incorporate the LBDM to enhance undergraduates’ achievements in oral presentations.

DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n27p1510