Multimodality and a diverse pedagogical mix: Insights into the 21st century South African secondary school learning environment

Abstract

Over the years there have been repeated calls to reconceptualise schooling in the 21st century. Instead, the
response has been to digitise traditional classroom practices thereby equating contemporary learning with
technology adoption. In this paper, I report on the findings of a mixed methods study involving five secondary
schools in Johannesburg that explored the characteristics of the 21st century secondary school learning
environment. I examined teachers’ appropriation of digital technologies as well as their pedagogical practices.
While acknowledging the differences in classroom contexts, perspectives on the 21st century classroom were
informed by teachers’ best practices and the key literature that framed the research. I concluded that
multimodality is an important feature of the 21st century learning environment and within which the
appropriation of digital technologies is located. Another important characteristic is teachers’ pedagogical mix
that harnesses learners’ epistemological diversity. The findings of this study would help to inform multimodal
pedagogical change, particularly in secondary schools.