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Literacy 7-12

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Literacy 7-12 > Strategies > Composition Projects: Multimodal

Composition Projects: Multimodal

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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

    Examples

    MY World 360 Playlist

    360 immersive stories that were created by youth across the world

    Examples

    Scaffolding Multimodal Composition

    Five tips for scaffolding multimodal composition

    Research

    Kids Living and Learning with New Media

    Case studies of digital literacy and communication

    Research

    Multimedia Learning

    Subtopic that includes research on the use of multimedia and visuals in instruction on Digital Promise's Research Map

    Research

    Student Motivation

    Topic that includes research on the factors that motivate students to learn and reach their goals on Digital Promise's Research Map

    Research

    Thinking About Multimodality

    Overview of the importance of multimodal composition

    Factors Supported by this Strategy

    Literacy
    Composition
    Critical Literacy
    Disciplinary Literacy
    Inferencing
    Syntax
    Cognition
    Attention
    Long-term Memory
    Metacognition
    Short-term Memory
    Social and Emotional Learning
    Emotion
    Motivation
    Social Awareness & Relationship Skills
    Student Background
    Adverse Experiences
    Literacy Environment
    Primary Language
    Safety
    Social Supports
    Socioeconomic Status

    More Active Learning Strategies

    Acting/Role Play

    Physically acting out a text or enacting major themes from texts enhances reading comprehension, particularly as texts become more complex.

    Debate

    When preparing for and debating with peers, students analyze, form, and express verbal arguments, fostering their critical thinking and literacy skills.

    Producing Counter-texts

    When students write from a non-dominant or marginalized perspective, they consider and give voice to points of view that are often missing.

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