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Design+ Multimodality in art teacher education in China

potential is its incongruence with traditional assessments, contexts. Effective multimodal pedagogy requires mastery
which emphasize traditional print-based literacy. Another in certain domains of content knowledge and technological
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potential challenge is cultural resistance from students, skills, in addition to proficiency in the metalanguage of
such as rejecting formal education’s attempts to connect multimodal texts and the ability to assess multimodal
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with personal literacy spaces or unfamiliarity with literacies. 30,31 However, studies have found that these skills
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collaborative work in teams. Resistance may also come are often lacking in teachers. 29,32 Although some pre-
from faculty members who perceive an incompatibility service teachers gained tacit knowledge of multimodal
between multimodal pedagogies and syllabus content. 19 meaning-making from courses like computer literacy —
helping trainees create effective multimedia presentations
2.3. Multimodality in teacher education or multimodal instructions — they were better prepared
Our discussion of multimodality now arrives at the issue when they received explicit training on the interplay
of teacher education (pre-service and in-service), which between semiotic modes. This suggests that such training
is essential for the promotion and implementation of should be more frequent. 32
multimodality and multiliteracies pedagogy. Paesani In addition to addressing skills and competencies,
and Allen 19,p.10 argue that “learning about and applying the literature indicates that teacher education must also
new instructional paradigms such as the multiliteracies counteract entrenched ideologies of teacher learning that
framework is a complex and long-term undertaking,” may exist within specific socio-cultural contexts. 19,29 One
highlighting the need for a comprehensive, evidence- such ideology is the traditional view (held by individual
informed undertaking in teacher education. In this teachers and institutions) that privileges linguistic and print-
section, we discuss the merits of multimodality in teacher based modes of meaning-making as more rigorous and
education and the challenges reported in the literature. legitimate than other modes. 31,33 Another example relates
Firstly, there is consensus among scholars that to educational technology (edtech), an important enabler
multimodality should be integrated into teacher education. of multimodal pedagogy. While edtech is emphasized in
Theoretically speaking, teaching itself is an act of China, its use has often been geared toward content delivery
multimodal communication, a form of “sign production” rather than knowledge co-construction—a fundamental
in which its reception and transformation depend on tenet of multimodal pedagogy. As such, a key challenge
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how meaning-makers utilize semiotic resources shaped for teacher education is to address ideologies that hinder
by their history, culture, and power. Various case studies the successful implementation of multimodal pedagogy.
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report that a multimodal approach enhances trainee Although the literature on this topic is still relatively
teachers’ learning and affords various ancillary benefits, nascent, it offers valuable resources and tools for teacher
such as increased engagement, motivation, knowledge educators. Multiple case studies offer strategies and
retention, deeper understanding, and enhanced digital methods for integrating multimodal pedagogy in teacher
skills. 23-25 Moreover, experiencing multiliteracies pedagogy education across different subject areas. 24,25 Moreover,
in teacher education prepares trainee teachers to practice scholars have developed instruments to assess teachers’
such pedagogy in their future teaching. 24,25
knowledge levels of teaching multimodal literacies and
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Besides initial teacher education, the successful their pedagogical content knowledge of multiliteracies.
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implementation of multimodal pedagogy requires In the context of teacher education, these instruments can
meaningful and extensive integration into existing systems support the implementation of multimodality as well as
of in-service professional development (PD), both as higher-quality empirical research on a larger scale.
a subject-matter focus of PD and a delivery approach.
A review of PD in the US found that multimodality was 3. Teacher education in China
generally under-emphasized and should play a more central Having analyzed the role of multimodality in teacher
role. Case studies from other contexts also recommend education more broadly, we now turn to teacher education
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that teacher educators provide more training and support in China, with its specific ongoing issues and its heritage
to in-service teachers to help them integrate multimodality of development and reform. Understanding these reforms
into their existing practice and curricula. Moreover, using and issues is crucial for properly contextualizing a novel
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multimodality as a delivery approach enhances the quality educational practice like multimodality. 36
of PD by enabling richer representations of practice. 28
3.1. Developments and reform
Given that the multiliteracies framework is relatively
novel, research suggests significant skill gaps among Since 1990s, teacher education in China has seen significant
trainee teachers and their educators across various national progress due to multiple state-directed initiatives. The

Volume 1 Issue 1 (2024) 4 doi: 10.36922/dp.4554