Resource+5

=**//__ Resource 5: __//** ABC News (2009) //“Urinating tourists put Uluru Shrimp at risk”// Retrieved September 26, 2009 from: ** []  **=



This resource is a video excerpt from the ABC news dated 29/09/09 which reports on a story of environmental damage caused by tourists climbing Uluru. More specifically, it discusses the loss of a rare species of shrimp located in the rock pools on the top of Uluru. The report attributes this loss of species to tourists going to the toilet at the top of the rock before descending. ** Relevance to the outcome: ** Throughout this unit, the debate over whether to climb Uluru and the environmental implications associated with tourists in the area has been used as an example of a significant interaction between people and the environment. This news clip supplements this work by specifically identifying a tangible impact of irresponsible human interaction with the environment, and also provides an opportunity for exploring features of multimodality. As students are required to produce a news report on a significant environmental issue to complete their rich task, this resource would be used to provide a model of some of the compositional elements of a multimodal text using familiar subject matter. To be used in lesson 5, following some initial work on multimodality in lesson 4, this resource would assist students in refining and consolidating their understanding of multimodal texts, as well as provide stimulus and scaffolding for their rich task. It is vital that students are given many opportunities to explore how meaning is created through multimodal texts, as multiliteracies have become a platform from which language and other modes of meaning are used as dynamic representational resources which are continously being altered by their users to achieve various cultural purposes (Cope & Kalantzis, pp. 5).
 * Explanation of the resource: **
 * ENS 2.6 ** Describes people’s interactions with environments and identifies responsible ways of interacting with environments
 * Aspect of Literacy suitable to be explored: **

Specific elements of multimodality that could be explored with this resource include the visual, linguistic and audio design elements of the clip, and how they contribute to the integrated meaning making system of this electronic multimedia text. For example, students may look at the linguistic design elements used and how they contribute to the meaning of the text. In this case, the vocal delivery of the newsreader as well as the use of vocabulary and intonation gives a sense of authority. Identifying Professor Brian Tims both verbally and also by labelling him at the bottom of the screen, ensures the story has an appropriate level of credibility and believability.

Elements of visual design in this clip also considerably influence meaning. For example, Multiple long shots are used which feature large crowds scaling the rock. These images juxtaposed against the narration detailing the damage to the rock, affirm in the veiwers mind the validity of the link between tourists and environmental damage. There are many other important compositional devices utilised in this multimodal text, including the use of a conceptual structured analytical image which compliments the discussion of the Shrimp species that have been lost. In order to analyse this resource well, students would be engaged in scaffolded whole group discussion which would allow them to consider how each of the elements contribute to meaning making. By watching the video without sound, and then without images, students could begin to identify whether the images compliment or add meaning to the narration and interviews. Students would also be asked to make suggestions as to how this text could be improved, how the meaning or message could be changed, or how another point of view could be offered. With a consolidated understanding of multimodality, students will then be able to begin making decisions about their own compositional devices and how they can be manipulated to convey a message.