Surveying the assessment landscape of digital multimodal composing in L2 contexts
A scoping review
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21535705 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Yuming Liu (0000-0001-6936-4046), Ricky Lam (0000-0003-2903-0425, Hong Kong Baptist University, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 140 |
| Pages | 104079 |
| Publication date | 2026-07-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | System (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0346-251X • E-ISSN: 1879-3282 |
| Publisher | Elsevier BV (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1016/j.system.2026.104079 |
| OpenAlex | W7163149957 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 58 |
While digital multimodal composing (DMC) has emerged as a pivotal literacy practice within second language (L2) education, its assessment remains nascent. To illuminate the landscape of this budding field regarding what, when, and how of DMC assessment and its washback on L2 learning and teaching, this scoping review systematically analyzed 38 articles published between 2010 and 2025. A standard five-step scoping review framework and a multi-method coding strategy were adopted. Findings suggested that the criteria for what to assess have evolved from internal mechanics of DMC (e.g., multimodal cohesion) to incorporating external contextualization (e.g., audience) and peripheral yet critical dimensions (e.g., ethics). A shift in when to assess has moved from product-oriented evaluations to those encompassing DMC processes. Four key dimensions characterized how DMC was assessed: a move toward integrating summative and formative assessment purposes, a transition in the assessor agency toward teacher-student collaborative models, the prevalence of rubrics as assessment tools, and the emergence of innovative assessment designs. Evidence of washback centered on the enhancement of L2 students’ multimodal repertoires, particularly multimodal literacy and metacognitive regulation. This review establishes a tripartite framework for investigating and executing effective DMC assessment. Gaps and directions were also outlined for future inquiry
Multimodal interaction · Multimodality · EFL/ESL Teaching and Learning · Literacy, Media, and Education · Writing and Handwriting Education
Updated methodological guidance for the conduct of scoping reviews
Systematic review or scoping review? Guidance for authors when choosing between a systematic or scoping review approach
Assessing students’ multimodal classroom compositions
Assessing digital multimodal composing in second language writing
Assessing L2 writing in the digital age
The assessment of memes as digital multimodal composition in L2 classrooms
Developing a genre-based model for assessing digital multimodal composing in second language writing
Assessing multimodal literacies in practice
A robot-based digital storytelling approach to enhancing EFL learners’ multimodal storytelling ability and narrative engagement
Assessing multiliteracies
Mapping the Research Terrain of Digital Multimodal Composing in L2 Contexts
Students’ perceptions of peer review for assessing digital multimodal composing
Inductive/Deductive Hybrid Thematic Analysis in Mixed Methods Research
EFL adolescent learners’ perceptions of digital multimodal composing tasks and task outcomes
Evaluating multimodal literacy
Exploring collaborative digital multimodal composition
Quality and predictors of L2 digital multimodal composition
Freedom and constraints
Understanding L2 student writers’ self-assessment in digital multimodal composing
Peer interaction, writing proficiency, and the quality of collaborative digital multimodal composing task
Multimodal pedagogy in Tesol teacher education
Can GenAI-empowered feedback promote L2 learners’ self-regulation strategic behavior and writing performance
Digital multimodal composing in L2 classrooms
Collaborative Multimodal Writing via Google Docs
Scoping studies
Demonstrating Rigor Using Thematic Analysis
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |