Multiliteracies in Science Education: Teacher Practices, Assessment Constraints, and Implications for Professional Learning Design

This study examined how science and mathematics teachers across primary and secondary education report enacting multiliteracies-oriented pedagogy and assessment, with the aim of informing professional learning design. Data were collected through a validated survey completed by 198 in-service teachers. The instrument addressed teaching practices aligned with the Learning by Design knowledge processes and the assessment of multimodal student work. Results showed broad alignment with multiliteracies across school levels, but significant differences in more demanding dimensions of practice. The strongest differences were found in creative application, F(2, 194) = 18.83, p < .001, and assessment, Welch’s F ≈ 9.82, p < .001. In both domains, Primary teachers reported stronger implementation than Gymnasio and Lyceio teachers. For example, assessment scores declined from M = 3.50 in Primary to M = 3.04 in Gymnasio and M = 2.85 in Lyceio. The findings identify assessment as a central constraint in multiliteracies enactment and offer empirically grounded directions for professional learning in science education.