Purposive Communication: Communication, Technology, and Multimodal Presentation

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering multimodal communication, visual design elements, media evaluation (SIFT), multimedia learning principles, presentation story arcs, production phases, and digital ethics.

Digital communication

Communication mediated by electronic and networked technologies, such as email, social media, video calls, and learning platforms.

Mode

A socially developed resource for making meaning, such as language, images, sound, gesture, or spatial arrangement.

Medium

A material or technological means of creating and delivering communication, such as a printed poster, smartphone, podcast feed, or presentation application.

Affordance

A useful possibility offered by a communication mode or tool (for example, a map showing geographical relationships faster than a paragraph).

Multimodal text

A communication product that combines two or more meaning-making modes (linguistic, visual, audio, gestural, or spatial) to communicate meaning, which can be printed, digital, live, or recorded.

Multiliteracies

A concept introduced by the New London Group (1996) proposing that expanding media channels and cultural diversity require interpreting images, layout, symbols, sound, and cultural contexts beyond just decoding words.

Spatial mode

A meaning-making mode that contributes position, distance, grouping, size, and sequence (seen in poster layout, slide hierarchy, and scene composition).

Visual text

A communication text whose meaning is principally communicated through visual resources, such as a chart showing yearly rainfall.

Multimedia

A communication product that integrates more than one media form, such as a narrated slideshow featuring photos and video clips.

Interactive media

Media in which the audience can make choices that affect navigation or response, such as a clickable data dashboard or a branching lesson.

Transmedia storytelling

Related story elements distributed across multiple platforms, with each platform contributing something different to the overall narrative.

SIFT habit

A four-step source evaluation method consisting of: Stop, Investigate the source, Find better coverage, and Trace to the original.

Three levels of visual text analysis

The framework for critically analyzing visual texts comprising Description (what is visible or audible), Interpretation (what meaning it suggests), and Evaluation (whether its message is justified and appropriate).

White space

An element of visual design referring to unoccupied space that makes information easier to scan and prevents visual crowding.

Local communication

Communication designed to address the specific circumstances, culture, language, practices, and needs of a particular community.

Global communication

Communication designed to address diverse audiences that may differ in geography, language, cultural expectations, technological access, and background knowledge.

Audience-centered message formula

A structural guideline for clear messaging defined as: Purpose + audience + one core claim + supporting evidence + appropriate modes + clear action.

Mayer's cognitive theory of multimedia learning

A learning theory focusing on how learners select, organize, and integrate verbal and visual information within the limits of working memory.

Coherence principle

A multimedia design principle stating that elements unrelated to the learning goal should be removed, such as omitting decorative animations and irrelevant music.

Signaling principle

A multimedia design principle that involves highlighting important structure or relationships using headings, arrows, emphasis, and narrated cues.

Spatial contiguity principle

A multimedia design principle stating that related explanations should be placed physically near their corresponding visuals, such as placing a chart label directly beside its data feature.

Temporal contiguity principle

A multimedia design principle stating that corresponding words and visuals must be presented at compatible times, such as explaining a diagram while the relevant portion is visible.

Segmenting principle

A multimedia design principle that involves breaking complex content into learner-paced, meaningful units or short stages.

Modality principle

A multimedia design principle suggesting that spoken explanations can complement visuals better than crowding the screen with paragraphs of on-screen text.

Redundancy principle

A context-dependent multimedia guideline to avoid unnecessarily forcing viewers to process long duplicated text and spoken narration simultaneously, while retaining captions for accessibility.

Pre-training principle

A multimedia design principle that involves explaining key concepts or defining unfamiliar terms before presenting a complex demonstration.

Five-part story arc

A storytelling framework for persuasive presentations structured as: 1. Hook, 2. Problem, 3. Evidence, 4. Possible response, and 5. Call to action.

Storyboard

A pre-production planning tool used to organize the visual screen, text, narration or audio, approximate duration, and communication function of each segment.

Production phase (Phase B)

The multimedia production stage focused on recording or assembling assets with attention to balanced composition, appropriate lighting, clear audio, natural delivery, media rights, and file discipline.

Post-production phase (Phase C)

The multimedia development stage involving removing filler, synchronizing audiovisuals, adding captions, balancing audio, verifying claims, testing multi-device playback, and crediting assets.

TASL

A Creative Commons attribution standard recommending the inclusion of: Title, Author, Source, and License.

Misinformation

False or inaccurate information shared without necessarily intending to mislead or deceive.

Disinformation

False information deliberately produced or shared with the explicit intention to deceive.

Malinformation

Genuine, factual information shared out of context or used in ways intended to cause harm, such as publishing private information.

Deepfake / synthetic media

Digitally generated or altered imagery, sound, or video that convincingly depicts events or people, which requires clear labeling and responsible use.

Communication mediated by electronic and networked technologies, such as email, social media, video calls, and learning platforms.

Digital communication

A socially developed resource for making meaning, such as language, images, sound, gesture, or spatial arrangement.

Mode

A material or technological means of creating and delivering communication, such as a printed poster, smartphone, podcast feed, or presentation application.

Medium

A useful possibility offered by a communication mode or tool (for example, a map showing geographical relationships faster than a paragraph).

Affordance

A communication product that combines two or more meaning-making modes (linguistic, visual, audio, gestural, or spatial) to communicate meaning, which can be printed, digital, live, or recorded.

Multimodal text

A concept introduced by the New London Group (1996) proposing that expanding media channels and cultural diversity require interpreting images, layout, symbols, sound, and cultural contexts beyond just decoding words.

Multiliteracies

A meaning-making mode that contributes position, distance, grouping, size, and sequence (seen in poster layout, slide hierarchy, and scene composition).

Spatial mode

A communication text whose meaning is principally communicated through graphic and pictorial resources, such as a chart showing yearly rainfall.

Visual text

A communication product that integrates two or more different media forms, such as a narrated slideshow featuring photos and video clips.

Multimedia

Media in which the audience can make choices that affect navigation or response, such as a clickable data dashboard or a branching lesson.

Interactive media

A technique where related story elements are distributed across multiple platforms, with each platform contributing something different to the overall narrative.

Transmedia storytelling

A four-step source evaluation method consisting of: Stop, Investigate the source, Find better coverage, and Trace to the original.

SIFT habit

A framework for critically analyzing visual texts comprising Description (what is visible or audible), Interpretation (what meaning it suggests), and Evaluation (whether its message is justified and appropriate).

Three levels of visual text analysis

An element of visual design referring to unoccupied space that makes information easier to scan and prevents visual crowding.

White space

Communication designed to address the specific circumstances, culture, language, practices, and needs of a particular community.

Local communication

Communication designed to address diverse audiences that may differ in geography, language, cultural expectations, technological access, and background knowledge.

Global communication

A structural guideline for clear messaging defined as: Purpose + audience + one core claim + supporting evidence + appropriate modes + clear action.

Audience-centered message formula

A learning theory focusing on how learners select, organize, and integrate verbal and visual information within the limits of working memory.

Mayer's cognitive theory of multimedia learning

A multimedia design principle stating that elements unrelated to the learning goal should be removed, such as omitting decorative animations and irrelevant music.

Coherence principle

A multimedia design principle that involves highlighting important structure or relationships using headings, arrows, emphasis, and narrated cues.

Signaling principle

A multimedia design principle stating that related explanations should be placed physically near their corresponding visuals, such as placing a chart label directly beside its data feature.

Spatial contiguity principle

A multimedia design principle stating that corresponding words and visuals must be presented at compatible times, such as explaining a diagram while the relevant portion is visible.

Temporal contiguity principle

A multimedia design principle that involves breaking complex content into learner-paced, meaningful units or short stages.

Segmenting principle

A multimedia design principle suggesting that spoken explanations can complement visuals better than crowding the screen with paragraphs of on-screen text.

Modality principle

A context-dependent multimedia guideline to avoid unnecessarily forcing viewers to process long duplicated text and spoken narration simultaneously, while retaining captions for accessibility.

Redundancy principle

A multimedia design principle that involves explaining key concepts or defining unfamiliar terms before presenting a complex demonstration.

Pre-training principle

A storytelling framework for persuasive presentations structured as: 1. Hook, 2. Problem, 3. Evidence, 4. Possible response, and 5. Call to action.

Five-part story arc

A pre-production planning tool used to organize the visual screen, text, narration or audio, approximate duration, and communication function of each segment.

Storyboard

The multimedia development stage focused on recording or assembling assets with attention to balanced composition, appropriate lighting, clear audio, natural delivery, media rights, and file discipline.

Production phase (Phase B)

The multimedia development stage involving removing filler, synchronizing audiovisuals, adding captions, balancing audio, verifying claims, testing multi-device playback, and crediting assets.

Post-production phase (Phase C)

A Creative Commons attribution standard recommending the inclusion of: Title, Author, Source, and License.

TASL

False or inaccurate information shared without necessarily intending to mislead or deceive.

Misinformation

False information deliberately produced or shared with the explicit intention to deceive.

Disinformation

Genuine, factual information shared out of context or used in ways intended to cause harm, such as publishing private information.

Malinformation

Digitally generated or altered imagery, sound, or video that convincingly depicts events or people, which requires clear labeling and responsible use.

Deepfake / synthetic media