Multimodal Composition Resource Center

Here at Lehigh University, we recently incorporated a multimodal composition initiative into our first-year writing sequence. Why? For a couple of reasons: First, because we saw it as an effective way to help students develop their writing skills in the context of an evolving and engaging digital landscape. And second, because composing in multimodal genres provides students with ample opportunities to develop their rhetorical sensibilities. Specifically, students learn about and put into practice complex argumentation strategies for specific audiences while also improving their information literacy skills.

The result of this initiative is that every first-year writing student at Lehigh learns how to compose for varying audiences across a variety of digital platforms. We believe that this practice helps develop their core writing and argumentation skills while enhancing their abilities to navigate the demands of an ever-changing rhetorical milieu.  

One of the exciting challenges of this initiative has been to help support writing teachers as they develop their own multimodal pedagogical approaches. From global issues of course design, assignment development, and assessment, to the local questions of choosing approachable technologies and navigating university resources, writing teachers need training and support to teach multimodal composition well. That is why we have created this page. What you’ll find here are resources to help support and develop your multimodal composition pedagogy. Please explore our resources to help you plan and develop your own multimodal courses.