Blog Post 6 - Vitor M.

Multimodality has been defined in the video as using two different types of modes to get a single point across. Mr. Kress explained that he has an idea he would like to get across to his audience. He goes on to show that this idea is best explained through two different types of modes (or more) to achieve an overall understanding of a particular idea. By using this method, Mr. Kress has shown that it would be easier to stimulate certain parts of the mind in different ways, rather than using one method to do it all.
A mode can be understood as a form of communication, or how you use this particular form of communication. In the video, Mr. Kress explained how web pages use columns in certain places to attract our attention faster. He used the example of how people in the western hemisphere of the world are taught to read text from left to right, therefore, websites viewed in these regions use formatting to this advantage. A “main” column about a top story may be placed on the left, while the smaller, less interesting stories, can be seen on the right. He also explained that the color of a background can attract our eyes to an image the website would like us to see. These are all examples of modes.
The difference between Kress and Wysocki is that Kress would like to use existing forms of modes in different orders to get a point across, while Wysocki would like to reinvent modes by using “space” in an entirely new way. Wysocki wants to be able to use the space between lines, words, or even the overall paper to portray text in a different meaning. Kress would like to take the texts, and rearrange them for his audience’s better understanding.