Fostering Learner Autonomy Through a Collaborative Digital Storytelling Project in English for Specific Purposes Classrooms

This study explores the extent to which learner autonomy can be cultivated through a digital storytelling (DST) project within a collaborative learning environment. Additionally, it examines students’ attitudes towards the DST project. The research was conducted with 90 nursing students enrolled in an English for Specific Purposes (ESP) course, who engaged in a five-week DST project. Data were collected using three instruments: a questionnaire, semi-structured interviews, and weekly reflective journals. The findings indicate that the DST project significantly enhanced students’ autonomous learning practices, particularly by fostering independent learning and heightened awareness of their learning processes. Moreover, participants expressed predominantly positive attitudes toward the DST project, emphasizing its benefits for language development, motivation, and perceived usefulness. The findings suggest that a DST project can serve as a learner-centered pedagogical approach. Also, despite its inherent emphasis on independent learning, learner autonomy can be effectively fostered through working together with peers. Given these insights, future research employing a quasi-experimental design is recommended to examine the causal effects of DST on language development.