Twelfth International Conference on The Inclusive Museum

Abstract

The proposed research provides insights into the potential of immersive online environments (IVEs) to act as platforms for inclusive multimodal literacy learning and engagement among culturally and linguistically diverse students. To examine the latter, this paper delves into the Museum Affinity Spaces (MAS) project, an empirically-based, pedagogically-driven research initiative, funded by HORIZON 2020, entailing plans for a Pan-European platform targeted at museums/galleries and learning institutions such as schools and universities. The intention is to form partnerships and be immersed in a online environment in order to enrich the digitally mediated cultural experiences for diverse students. The project employs design-based research (DBR) and is structured to unfold in three phases: preliminary analysis, the prototyping stage, and implementation and evaluation. This presentation shall focus on the preliminary analysis and the prototyping stage of the project, as it was carried out during the first year since the project embarked. The findings contribute to an underexplored area of theory-based, empirically driven, online museum learning environments can be designed, implemented and evaluated, to serve an inclusive agenda. More specifically, evidence from this research inform a growing field of study on theory, research and practice of frameworks for online multimodal engagement and participation, focusing on diverse students’ multimodal literacy practices. The interpretation from mixed methods data instruments, elicited significant insights into students’ improved performance over time, through active self-directed learning and multimodal meaning making and awareness. Such empirical evidence, can inform future methods of inclusive instructional and web design for developing students’ online learning.