Multimodal Composing in Digital Storytelling

Abstract

This study explores English language learners’ crafting process of a digital storytelling project in an instructional setting. By analyzing two English language learners’ digital storytelling projects and their personal crafting narratives, the researcher reports how these learners approach multimodal digital story composing, construct hybrid texts to deliver their messages, and assign meanings to the semiotic resources used in their digital story through Gunther Kress’ (2003) notion of design. Three major findings are reported in this study. First, participants approached the development of multimodal digital storytelling with the creation of a hybrid text, and with dialogic orchestration of multimodal resources. Second, participants’ digital story design and orchestration of multimodal resources were guided by author intents. Third, the study participants experienced imagination and re-imagination when assigning meaning to the semiotic resources used in their digital story. The incorporation of digital story composing narratives allows the researcher to develop deep understanding about multimodal designers’ thinking process in constructing their digital stories. The findings of this study, illustrating the complex process of multimodal composing, are discussed in relation to learners’ employment of multimodal resources, Kress’ (2003) notion of design, and Leo van Lier's (2004) notion of affordance.