Literature, Multimodality and Media unit (EPR314)

Online

Introduction

This unit is centred on the significant role of multimodal texts in children’s lives. It will incorporate studies of how text, images, sound, gesture, movement, and space work together to shape narrative. Multimodal texts will include picturebooks, graphic novels, television, film, theatre, computer games, and digital worlds. 

During the unit you will explore materials developed by the Australian Children’s Television Foundation for teaching film and TV, and you will also see how young students across Australia have been working with the Bell Shakespeare company to perform literature. You will examine the potential of multimodal texts and consider effective English and literacy pedagogies for progressing students’ reading, viewing, and writing/composing achievement. 

Summary

Unit name	Literature, Multimodality and Media
Unit code	EPR314
Credit points	12.5
College/School	Arts and Society Faculty of Education
Discipline	Education
Coordinator	Ms Deborah Showers
Available as an elective?	No
Delivered By	University of Tasmania
Level	Advanced

Availability

Location	Study period	Attendance options		Available to
Online	Semester 2

Note

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Key Dates

Study Period	Start date	Census date	WW date	End date
Semester 2	06/07/2026	28/07/2026	31/08/2026	25/10/2026

* The Final WW Date is the final date from which you can withdraw from the unit without academic penalty, however you will still incur a financial liability (refer to How do I withdraw from a unit? for more information).

Unit census dates currently displaying for 2026 are indicative and subject to change. Finalised census dates for 2026 will be available from the 1st October 2025. Note census date cutoff is 11.59pm AEST (AEDT during October to March).

About Census Dates

Learning Outcomes

• Apply your knowledge of literary and multimodality theory to interpret, critique, and appraise multimodal literary texts
• Apply the skills of literary and multimodal analysis to multimodal literary texts
• Apply your knowledge of pedagogies to design critical and creative classroom experiences to teach multimodal literary texts

Fee Information

Field of Education	Commencing Student Contribution 1,3	Grandfathered Student Contribution 1,3	Approved Pathway Course Student Contribution 2,3	Domestic Full Fee 4
070103	$592.00	$592.00	not applicable	$2,562.00

• Available as a Commonwealth Supported Place
• HECS-HELP is available on this unit, depending on your eligibility³
• FEE-HELP is available on this unit, depending on your eligibility⁴

¹ Please refer to more information on student contribution amounts.
² Please refer to more information on eligibility and Approved Pathway courses.
³ Please refer to more information on eligibility for HECS-HELP.
⁴ Please refer to more information on eligibility for FEE-HELP.

If you have any questions in relation to the fees, please contact UniConnect or more information is available on StudyAssist.

Please note: international students should refer to What is an indicative Fee? to get an indicative course cost.

Requisites

Prerequisites

ESH210 or EPR210

Teaching

Teaching Pattern	This unit is fully online.  Lecture (Online) Pre-recorded lecture/s – 1 hour weekly Tutorial - Fully discussion board based - equivalent to 2 hours weekly Independent Learning - Readings, discussion board posts and independent study – 7 hours weekly.
Assessment	AT 1: Picturebook Analysis (20%)|AT2 - Picturebook Lesson Sequence (40%)|AT3 - Multimodal Presentation (40%)
Timetable	View the lecture timetable | View the full unit timetable

Textbooks

Required

Serafini, F. (2013). Reading the visual: An introduction to teaching multimodal literacy. New York: Teacher’s College Press. [Available as an eBook through the EPR314 Reading List] Reading Lists provide direct access to all material on unit reading lists in one place. This includes eReadings and items in Reserve. You can access the Reading List for this unit from the link in MyLO, or by going to the Reading Lists page on the University Library website

Recommended

Bazalgette, C. (Ed.). (2010). Teaching media in primary schools. London: Sage. Kress, G., & Van Leeuwen, T. (2006). Reading images: The grammar of visual design. New York: Routledge. Kummerling-Meibauer, B. (2017). The Routledge companion to picturebooks. London and New York: Routledge. Lewis, D. (2001). Reading contemporary picturebooks: Picturing text. London and New York: Routledge. Mackie, M. (2002). Literacies across media: Playing the text. New York: Routledge. Nikolajeva, M. and Scott, C. (2006) How picture books work. New York: Routledge. Nodelman, P. (1988). Words about pictures: The narrative art of children’s picture books. Georgia: The University of Georgia Press. Stafford, T. (2010). Teaching visual literacy in the primary classroom: Comic books, film, television and picture narratives. London: Routledge.  Stephens, J. (2000). Modality and space in picture book art. CREArTA. 1 (1), 44-59.  Unsworth, L. & Thomas, A. (Eds.). (2014). English teaching and new literacies pedagogy: Interpreting and authoring digital multimedia narratives. New York: Peter Lang.

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