Growing influences of multimedia technologies have produced a shift in what counts as texts and what it means to be literate (Ajayi, 2009; Jewitt, 2005; Kress & van Leeuwen, 2001). In the 21st century, literacy is no longer understood as just the ability to read and write; it is now viewed as the ability to construct and understand the different possibilities of meanings made available by differing textual forms associated with diverse domains (Ajayi). Further, requirements to use technology in learning are rapidly moving into school districts, and the Common Core Standards, which 45 states and the District of Columbia have adopted, have spects of media and digital literacies woven into the various subject curricula (Council of Chief State School Officers & National Govenors Association, 2010).

When digital literacies projects have been implemented in elementary classrooms, the results reported have been largely positive. Vasudevan, Schultz, and Bateman (2010) found that reimagining the composing process through a multimodal approach allowed students to draw on personal experiences, widening the possible range of “successful” student identities within the academic context and increasing student engagement. Bogard and McMackin (2012) used audio recording and movie making in writers’ workshop in one third-grade classroom. They found that the affordances of recorded oral rehearsal improved revision practices and allowed students to develop personal narratives that were authentic as well as complex.