Using a pluriliteracies task for qualitative assessment in higher education

• Autores: Montemayor Borsinger, Ann; Coria, Ana M.; Porto, Melina
• Año de publicación: 2021
• Idioma: inglés
• Tipo de recurso: documento de conferencia
• Materia: Humanidades; Pluriliteracies; Modal ensemble; qualitative assesment; Humanidades
• Institución: Universidad Nacional de Río Negro

Fil: Montemayor Borsinger, Ann. Universidad Nacional de Río Negro. Río Negro; Argentina.
Fil: Coria, Ana M. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Buenos Aires; Argentina.
Fil: Porto, Melina. Universidad Nacional de La Plata and CONICET. Buenos Aires; Argentina.
This presentation describes a pluriliteracies task used in an L2 classroom in a higher education setting and discusses its potential for qualitative assessment purposes. The theoretical framework is based on Meyer’s et al. (2015) pluriliteracies model thatconsiders the integration of content and language as fundamental to learning. The task under analysis was based on Maus, a graphic novel by American cartoonist Art Spiegelman, which facilitated student awareness of the two central semiotic modes of pictures and language (Kress 2010) In addition, several classes were given on the implications of using of cartoons for enhancing meaning-making while students were reading the story. They were then asked to design an alternative book cover for Maus,together with a text describing their covers and their new choices. While the literature has stressed the affordances and constraints of each mode, here we focus on the interdependence characteristic of these ‘modal ensembles’ (Kress 2010), considered as relevant task products of a wider learning process that takes into account different realizations of meaning making. Of the 46 alternative book covers and their texts, 4 samples were selected by qualitative assessment in the Systemic Functional Linguistics tradition based on the notion of more or less effective choices that realize meaning according to context (i.e. Berry 1995, Christie and Derewianka 2010). Drawing also on multimodality, our analysis shows that effective tasks make bolder visual choices that blend traditional symbols with less established ones, accompanied by well-developed written observations on the meaning-making potential of their choices. We first describe the pluriliteracies task and the context in which we used it and then discuss the assessment process with the notion of modal ensemble. Using the four covers of our choice with their accompanying written text, we illustrate our findings and highlight the potential of this task for qualitative assessment. We discuss implications for language teaching in all levels of education in light of current accountability and performative drives in assessment. Berry, M. (1995) Thematic options and success in writing in Thematic Development in English Texts. London: Pinter (55-83). Christie, F. and B. Derewianka (2010) School Discourse. London: Continuum. Kress, K. (2010). Multimodality: A Social Semiotic Approach to Contemporary Communication. London: Routledge. Meyer, O., Coyle, D., Halbach, A., Schuck, K. & Ting, T. (2015). A pluriliteracies approach to content and language integrated learning – mapping learner progressions in knowledge construction and meaning-making. Language, Culture and Curriculum, 28(1), 41-57.