Composition Projects: Multimodal

Overview

For adolescent learners, the Composition process can become more robust, as learners begin to express ideas through multiple media, which includes visual, audio, and digital production. The skills needed for multimodal expression encompass digital literacy skills, which are increasingly important in today's world.

Use It in the Classroom

Watch a student's digital composition from Stonybrook University's digital storytelling site, which focuses on digital literacy and multimodal literacy. Youth combine images, audio, and video to represent their thoughts on different topics and share their perspectives.

Multimodal compositions can increase learners' Motivation because they resemble the real-life texts they encounter outside of school, often in social settings, which can also expand their Social Awareness & Relationship Skills. When creating these projects, students also practice digital and Disciplinary Literacy as they navigate online and multimedia texts.

Design It into Your Product

Videos are chosen as examples of strategies in action. These choices are not endorsements of the products or evidence of use of research to develop the feature.

Watch how Inklewriter allows learners to create web-based interactive stories and share them with the world. Learners can write argumentative pieces, make-your-own-adventure style stories, and writing multiple endings to a story from different genres to improve their understanding of genres.

Product designers can create spaces where students receive examples of messages to practice Metacognition while working and making decisions when composing original multimodal pieces. Digital social platforms can also be powerful when students share their work with authentic audiences, finding Social Supports as they navigate the complex world of social networks.

View References

Resources

Below are additional examples, research, and professional development. These resources are possible representations of this strategy, not endorsements.

Examples

Creating Multimodal Texts

A toolkit for creating multimedia texts

Examples

Multimodal Apps

Comprehensive list of apps for multimodal composition

Examples

Multimodal Composing

Ten most commonly asked questions about multimodal composing

Examples

Multimodal Compositions

Tips and pitfalls to avoid for multimodal projects