ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the authors consider challenges related to assessing and evaluating digital stories. After introducing the five principles of assessment, the authors analyze how the assessment of digital stories can be principled. They then challenge the notion that creative works such as digital stories can be validly assessed and then explore a different approach to evaluation—ungrading. With this approach, self-assessment and teacher feedback take the place of formal grading with the aim of focusing MLs on their learning rather than grades. The authors offer resources, including self-assessment questions, that can be used to support the ungrading approach. The authors next explore how digital stories can also be a form of alternative assessment of MLs’ language and/or translanguaging skills, providing a sample rubric for such assessment. Finally, the authors discuss the importance of teachers evaluating their own digital storytelling projects. The featured digital storytelling project in this chapter explains how one project was evaluated, leading to greater understanding of the impact of the project.
