Question #6: How do you assess multimodal projects?
Conclusions
Current assessment practices: 16% of respondents currently assess multimodal projects by giving full credit if all assignment requirements are met. 9% of respondents assess multimodal compositions based upon a paper related to the multimodal project. 7% of respondents use a required Writing Program rubric. 37% of respondents use another rubric, (33% of BSU respondents use another rubric despite the fact that Ball State requires the use of a standard rubric). 31% of respondents use “other” assessment practices not listed above.
All of the responses showcase unique assessment challenges: If we give full credit if all assignment requirements are met, are students still receiving important feedback on how their multimodal composition could have been improved? If we simply give a grade on a traditional essay that coincides with the multimodal elements of the project, do students feel they have an incentive to put full effort into the visual/audio aspects of the assignment? If instructors are required to use a standard writing program rubric, can the instructor easily apply the criteria to both traditional and multimodal writing projects? If a separate rubric from the writing program is being used, how can the program ensure that all of their instructors are consistently evaluating student essays?