Integrating Assessment and Instruction: Using Student-Generated Grading Criteria to Evaluate Multimodal Digital Projects

Designing Assessments: A Multiliteracies Approach

“…Whereas Kalantzis et al. () and Callow () approached development of a multiliteracies assessment framework through the creation of a priori categories based on theory and research, Adsanatham () approached multimodal assessment through an inductive process. In Adsanatham's class, the students first engaged in critiquing new media texts as a way to learn what rhetorical elements make up a text and to identify the relationship between modes, design choices, coherence, and argument strength.…”

“…However, Adsanatham's () approach also requires a heuristic and grading as well as an identification of standards used for evaluating multimodal works. Toward this end, Adsanatham suggested (a) frequent rhetorical viewing and analysis exercises; (b) evaluation criteria that are flexible, adaptable, and open to revision; (c) continuous reflection; (d) student involvement in the design of criteria; and (e) flexibility about how students repurpose criteria for their own purposes.…”

“…There is a wealth of theoretical and empirical literature that explores assessment for multiliteracies and multimodal texts. Scholars in composition studies (Adsanatham, ; Peterson, Botelho, Jang, & Kerekes, ), the new media studies (Ball, ), the new literacies (Callow, ; Hansford & Adlington, ), multiliteracies (Cope & Kalantzis, ; Cope et al., ; Kalantzis et al., ), and multimodal research (Kress & Van Leeuwen, ) have contributed to a vision of assessment for multiliteracies.…”

DMAC After Dark: Toward a Theory of Distributed Invention

“…Students practiced distributed invention by giving each other feedback early and often, and Danielle implemented multiple inclass conferences to offer informal feedback as well. Additionally, the class collaboratively generated a grading rubric by which their multimodal literacy narratives were evaluated (Adsanatham, 2012). By practicing these principles of distributed invention throughout the semester, students possessed the confidence and skills to create a more complex digital community-based writing project.…”

Assessing the Impact of Social Media Analytics Software on Student Learning

“…While numerous academic studies have addressed the assessment of various digital genres, the existing academic literature specifically related to social media is scant. For example, within the larger umbrella of digital content, a significant body of work has addressed the assessment of various genres such as digital portfolios (e.g., Lorenzo and Ittelson, 2005;Woodward and Nanlohy, 2010;Yancey, McElroy, and Powers, 2013;Zanzucchi and Truong, 2013); digital writing (Yancey, 2004;McKee and DeVoss, 2013;Moran and Herrington, 2013;Poe, 2013;Hicks 2015); new media writing (Penrod, 2005;Ball, 2006;Sorapure, 2006;VanKooten, 2013); and multimodal composition (Anderson et al, 2006;Borton and Huot, 2007;Shipka, 2009;Murray, Sheets, and Williams, 2010;Katz and Odell, 2012;Adsanatham, 2012;National Writing Project MAP Group, 2013). On the other hand, academic assessment literature specifically tied to social media is currently lacking, although Jain et al (2012), who assessed the use of a social software blog space called Trading Room, argued their study provided 'empirical evidence of the efficacy of blogs and social media in higher education, in particular in finance' (702).…”