Students' Digital Media Use in College Writing Classes: An Empirical Study of Preferences, Practices, and Possibilities

Abstract

This empirical study is an attempt to gauge the extent to which college students are adding visual and other computer-generated elements-such as photos, video, and hyperlinks-to classwork as well as for their personal online interactions. The study is based on recommendations by scholars such as the members of the New London Group, who have called for educators to broaden students' literacy skills by incorporating the multimedia elements that are part of communication in the 21st century. The research, which included a survey of students and interviews with students and college instructors, found that students and instructors, to varying degrees, are embracing multiliteracy skills despite challenges and the inevitable learning curve that accompanies new technologies and related processes.