Revision Practices and Self-Regulated Learning in Collaborative Digital Writing: Implications for ESL Writing Development

Abstract

Abstract

This study examined the role of revision practices and self-regulated learning in collaborative digital writing among ESL learners. Previous studies on collaborative writing have largely focused on interaction patterns and writing outcomes, while limited attention has been given to learners’ revision behavior and reflective learning strategies in digital environments. Using a mixed-methods quasi-experimental design, the study investigated how collaborative revision and self-regulated learning contributed to writing development.

Data were collected through pre-test and post-test writing tasks, revision histories, learner journals, rubric-based self-assessment forms, and semi-structured interviews. The findings showed that collaborative digital writing improved learners’ organization, coherence, vocabulary use, grammatical accuracy, and overall writing quality. Learners engaged in various forms of revision, including surface-level revisions, lexical changes, meaning-level revisions, and organizational restructuring. The findings also indicated that planning, monitoring, reflection, and evaluation supported writing improvement. The study highlights the importance of reflective revision and learner autonomy in digital collaborative writing settings.