Synchronous small-group collaborative writing via web-based word processing: What facilitates or constrains learners to achieve their goals in summary reports?
Year: 2018
Type: dissertation
Abstract: Collaborative writing has become a common pedagogical activity in second language (L2) classes, informed by sociocultural theory and supported by studies highlighting the importance of peer interaction in learners’ language development (e.g., Storch, 2002). With the emergence of Web 2.0, web-based writing applications such as wikis, blogs, and Google Docs have been implemented into L2 writing activities. The few previous studies that have investigated interaction patterns in peer writing have found variations in these patterns and suggested that collaborative patterns might benefit students’ language learning (Storch, 2002). Informed by sociocultural theory and motivated by the need to understand learners’ experiences in order to make online collaborative writing more beneficial to their learning, this study examined factors that mediate small-group interaction in synchronous web-based collaborative writing using Google Docs and text/voice-chat in the context of a debate club. Adult ESL learners from a voluntary debate club met weekly to practice English communication skills through debating. Four groups of three debate teams participated in this study (N=12). Data were collected from multiple sources including a survey questionnaire, debate summaries, screen recordings, and stimulated-recalls. The survey questionnaire elicited the learners’ background information and individual goals for the writing tasks. Debate summaries, transcripts of screen recordings, and stimulated recall interviews were analyzed to investigate interaction patterns of the groups and mediating factors in their collaborations. Interaction patterns of groups were identified by employing Storch’s (2002) dyadic interaction model, revealing four patterns: facilitator/participants, collaborative, leader/participants, and cooperative. Guided by activity theory (Engeström, 1999) mediating factors of group interaction were identified. The primary mediating factors influencing the quality of collaboration included participants’ goals and goal-directed actions, matches/mismatches between self-perceived and other-perceived goals, task representations, and modes of communication. In addition, participants’ goals were found to be reciprocally influenced by the group interactions. These findings help to explain why interaction patterns vary in collaborative writing groups and provide insights into how web-based collaborative writing activities can be designed and utilized in L2 writing classes.
Source: TSpace (University of Toronto)
Author: Hye Yoon Cho
Language: English
Subfield: Language and Linguistics
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
SDG: Quality education
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2915286874