Promoting second language writing autonomy through digital multimodal composing

Previous studies have examined students’ autonomous language learning behaviors in digital multimodal composing (DMC). However, whether second language (L2) writing autonomy can be promoted through DMC remains underexplored. This study, conducted at a medical university in China, investigated changes in three second-year medical students’ L2 writing autonomy during a year-long DMC project. L2 writing autonomy is a pivotal factor in the students’ becoming strategic and effective L2 writers with a sense of social responsibility. Data were collected from observation, interviews, reflective journals, and student-authored DMC projects. Changes in the students’ L2 writing autonomy were identified by comparing their L2 writing purposes, feelings, and behaviors before and after the DMC projects. The factors mediating these changes were synthesized through thematic and multimodal analysis. The analysis revealed that the affordances provided by the authentic writing task, collaborative form, and multimodal remixing in DMC promoted the students’ willingness to engage, ability to compose, and freedom to experiment in L2 writing. These factors ultimately shaped changes in three domains of L2 writing autonomy: autonomy as L2 writing learners, autonomy as L2 writing users, and autonomy as L2 writers. The study provides an evidence-based pedagogical model of DMC aimed at promoting students’ L2 writing autonomy.