Written Communication Mar 2026

Time, Space, and Tools: A Materio-cognitive Model of Digital Writing Process Development

Matthew Overstreet; Silvia Vaccino-Salvadore; Diana Akhmedjanova

Abstract

This article uses a novel theoretical frame—materio-cognitivism—to explore how digital writing processes change with time and experience. Researchers observed 10 second langauge writers as they completed two research writing tasks—one at the start of their first year of university and one near the end of university. Interviews and screen recording were used to track writing activity. Five key writing strategies were identified. Among the most improved writers, researchers identified a set of shared changes in how writing strategies were deployed. In particular, the most improved writers showed increased ability to sequence subtasks, to arrange digital interfaces, and to combine internal cognitive functions with the affordances of digital tools. These findings suggest what the development of writing processes might look like in digital environments, potentially informing both writing pedagogy and assessment.

Journal
Written Communication
Published
2026-03-12
DOI
10.1177/07410883251410154
Topics
writing pedagogy digital rhetoric multimodality

Citation Context

Cited by in this index (0)

No articles in this index cite this work.

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