A Study of Students’ English Writing Behaviors by Integrating Web-Based Cooperative Learning

• Main Authors: Min-Fang Fu, 傅敏芳
• Other Authors: Yen Ching-Hsiang
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2011
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/92767421580633685880

博士 === 國立屏東教育大學 === 教育行政研究所 === 99 === Internationally accepted English language proficiency exams nowadays are looking into the testers’ English writing ability, which leads to the anxiety of Taiwan’s technological college and university students along with their poor English writing performance. A study of how to formulate a model of and to create an environment for English writing learning via innovative class design and learning tools is a necessity and has its own value. The purpose of the paper is to study the effects on technological college and university students’ English writing by integrating Wiki into English writing courses. The main researches are outlined: (1) the effects on students’ e-learning English writing by integrating web-based cooperative learning; (2) the impacts of cooperative learning on teaching English writing for teachers; (3) the effects on online English writing using technology; (4) the impacts to teachers on teaching English writing courses using technology; and (5) feasible models of technological application for teaching English Writing. Cases in this study apply instrumental case study method for research design. Thirty-one cases studies are students from one of technological colleges in Taiwan and selected by maximum variation sampling based on English abilities. Eight cases, four in the high performance range in English learning and four in low performance range, were involved in this study for 15 weeks and analyzed by using embedded analysis. The analysis method of Jacobs et al (1981), researcher’s personal teaching experience and teaching strategies and research purposes etc. are used in this study. To evaluate the effects on subjects’ English writing, content and organization, grammar, and verbal and form are accessed. Questionnaire mainly on learning attitudes, interviews, class observation and data analysis is used to obtain subjects’ behaviors and views on using web-based cooperative learning in English writing courses. Along with teaching in class personally and designing and re-designing teaching models, feasible teaching models are formulated. The findings of the study are below. 1. Technological college students’ learning attitudes towards English writing are improved via Web-based cooperative learning. 2. Web-based cooperative learning effectively assists in the improvement on technological college student’s English writing. 3. The study found verbal and form, grammar and organizational structure can be enhanced by using Wiki in English writing. 4. Wiki applied to technological college students with different levels of English writing abilities can effectively improve their English writing abilities in all aspects; especially, those students in poor English performance range are able to improve their verbal and form, grammar, and content and organization of English writing. Verbal, form, and grammar even improved the most. The last, recommendations on introducing web-based cooperative learning to English writing courses are based on my research purposes and results and could be reference for future and further study.