Digital Multimodal Composing(DMC) From A Multi-draft Process Perspective

With the spread of digital communication,second language(L2)writing has become increasingly digital and incorporated multimodal elements.However,training in second language writing classrooms is mostly limited to writing in the text mode,neglecting the role of multimodal elements,such as audio and image,in constructing meaning.Based on this research gap,the present study focuses on the process and product of students’ digital multimodal writing,aiming to answer the following three questions:(1)What strategies do L2 writers employ in PPT production and presentation? How do these strategies affect product quality?(2)As revealed in peer and video feedback,what are L2 writers’ salient problems in their first draft of PPT text and presentation discourse?(3)How do the L2 writers emotionally,cognitively and behaviourally engage with the peer and video feedback?This study was conducted at a southern university in China.The subjects were 38 sophomore English undergraduates who went through the complete process of argumentative essay writing-PPT production-PPT presentation-peer and video feedback-PPT revision-PPT re-presentation-reflection,in which both PPT presentations were recorded on video.The research data mainly included students’ argumentative essays,two drafts of the PPT text,two sets of PPT presentation videos,questionnaires,peer checklists,reflection reports and interviews.The data were analyzed mainly with SPSS23.0 for exploratory factor analysis and correlation analysis,and ELAN 4.8.0 for multimodal analysis of the videos.The main findings are as follows:(1)In the process of creating and presenting PPT slides,students mainly used the five strategies,including drawing on prior knowledge,preparing for creation,composing the first draft,revising and rehearsing,with the PPT revision strategy being the most frequently adopted.The rehearsal strategy was significantly and positively related to the effectiveness of PPT creation and presentation.(2)Salient issues in the first draft of PPT texts and presentation discourses involved overuse of the text,visual dissonance and a lack of connection with the audience.(3)Students’ dimensions of emotional,cognitive and behavioral engagement showed a complex coexistence of interconnectedness and conflicts.Specifically,in the affective dimension,they demonstrated not only a high level of acknowledgment for peer feedback but also a skeptical,distrustful attitude.In the cognitive dimension,students with positive attitudes toward feedback tended to analyze and reflect actively,thus leading to effective revision and refinement behaviorally.However,they lacked metacognitive knowledge to explain their rationale for their revisions.In addition,engagement with feedback was mediated by individual factors(motivation and metalanguage knowledge)and contextual factors(peer interaction).Finally,based on these findings,it is recommended that teachers give students strategy guidance on multimodal discourse composition and guide them to discuss and analyze the interaction and effects of multiple modes in meaning making before they begin composing multimodal texts.Moreover,teachers should provide feedback training to students to enhance the effectiveness of peer feedback.In particular,a discussion should be incorporated into peer feedback activities,since it is an important factor influencing students’ cognitive and behavioral engagement.