Exploring the affordances of The Writing Portal (TWP) as an online supplementary writing platform (for the special issue of GLoCALL 2013 and 2014 conference papers)

The Role of Digital Technologies in Facilitating the Learning of ESL Writing among TESL Pre-Service Teachers in Malaysia : A Review of the Literature

“…The review of past studies indicates that TESL pre-service teachers are open to the idea of using digital writing tools in ESL writing instruction (Chan et al, 2011;Lee et al, 2016;Noordin et al, 2008;Samani et al, 2014;Yee & Kee, 2017;Yunus, Salehi, & Chen, 2012;Yunus, Salehi, & Nordin, 2012). However, the use of these tools is not without limitations which in turn calls for more future studies to be conducted to find out how to use them more effectively in ESL writing instruction (Chan et al, 2011;Lee et al, 2016;Noordin et al, 2008;Samani et al, 2014;Yee & Kee, 2017;Yunus, Salehi, & Chen, 2012;Yunus, Salehi, & Nordin, 2012). Further research should focus on investigating how these limitations can be minimized in Malaysian teacher education.…”

“…They highlight that online tools promote more personalized writing for the students and allow them more freedom to showcase the originality in their essays. Meanwhile, Lee, Said, and Tan (2016) point out that scaffolding strategies in the writing process are enhanced by the existence of digital technologies. From these studies, digital technologies seem to provide a helping hand in the execution of the process-based writing approach in ESL writing instruction.…”

“…If teachers are able to comprehend the roles of CALL programs in education and understand the challenges they face in using CALL programs, the implementation of digital technology will be successful, and they will benefit from it. In addition, Lee et al (2016) conducted a mixed-methods study (i.e., analyzing students' online discourses, task reflections, log files, and digital artefacts) on 16 TESL pre-service teachers at one ITEM. They found that The Writing Portal (a one-stop online writing platform) promotes collaboration among TESL pre-service teachers by adequately supporting the writing process with useful resources and digital tools.…”

Writing Narrative Essays using E-Book Writing Software : Analyses of Students' Digital Written Works

“…Vygotsky's social constructivism theory consists of four major principles namely social interaction, scaffolding, the role of more knowledgeable others (MKO), and the zone of proximal development (ZPD) (Lee, Said, & Tan, 2016). Vygotsky's theory suggests that social interaction precedes development with the roles of ZPD, scaffolding, and MKO being emphasized in his studies (Lee et al, 2016).…”

“…Vygotsky's social constructivism theory consists of four major principles namely social interaction, scaffolding, the role of more knowledgeable others (MKO), and the zone of proximal development (ZPD) (Lee, Said, & Tan, 2016). Vygotsky's theory suggests that social interaction precedes development with the roles of ZPD, scaffolding, and MKO being emphasized in his studies (Lee et al, 2016). The ZPD as one main principle of Vygotsky's work refers to "the distance between the actual developmental level as determined by independent problem solving and the level of potential development as determined through problem solving under adult guidance, or in collaboration with more capable peers" (Vygotsky, 1978, p. 86).…”