Review Of Effective Multimodal Interaction for Online and Hybrid Teaching: Data Driven Insights, by Antonella Giacosa

Abstract

This book explores how global education systems adapted to online and hybrid learning in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The author discusses the concepts of Emergency Remote Teaching (ERT) and electronic Classroom Interactional Competence (e-CIC) as well as the dynamics of multimodal interaction in digital learning environments encompassing text, voice, visuals, emojis, and other communication channels. Through a mixed-methods approach combining ethnography, conversation analysis, and multimodality, the author examines three primary learning modes asynchronous, synchronous, and hybrid along with their respective pedagogical opportunities and challenges. Key findings indicate that the success of online learning is not determined solely by the technological platform, but rather by the quality of pedagogical design, teachers' digital competence, and the ability to construct social presence in virtual spaces. The findings also emphasize institutional readiness gaps and teachers' unpreparedness in facing the sudden digitalization of education. While this volume makes a significant contribution to the field of digital education and foreign language teaching, some of its analytical concepts remain overly broad and require more measurable indicators. Overall, it is relevant for academics, educational researchers, and teaching practitioners seeking to understand the complexity of multimodal interaction in the post-pandemic learning era.