Learning by Design Through Born-Digital Texts in EFL

Abstract

The new contexts and challenges of the 21st century require the implementation of methodologies and resources that focus both on words and on other modes of representation to construct knowledge. To this end, language education involves paying attention to diverse pedagogical demands of a global and digital world. This chapter supports the notion of literacy as a multidimensional concept and proposes the “learning by design” concept as a means for teachers of English as a foreign language (EFL) to use born-digital texts and other visual elements. To this end, a learning path has been designed following the pedagogy of multiliteracies to work with first-year students in the course “English for teachers” at the University of València. The results show a very positive impact regarding the enhancement of learners to become meaning-makers and express their ideas in the target language.