Evaluation of students' digital animated multimodal narratives: a semiotics-based approach

This paper addresses the evaluation of multimodal texts, particularly 3D digital animations created by school-age students. The approach taken is to identify the 'literal' or 'concrete' observable elements present in the text. 'Categories of meaning' are used to focus a reader's attention on the observable elements, allowing judgements about the range and effectiveness of conventions associated with codes that align with each category. In this paper, the evaluation instrument is fully described firstly in concept, followed by a description of its implementation in spreadsheet software as a user-friendly tool for both academics and classroom practitioners. This is followed by a discussion of the application of this instrument to evaluate a significant body of student work. The findings of that process are presented, along with a description and reflection on the process itself. Finally, the advantages and limitations of the instrument are considered from theoretical and practical perspectives.