Student Perceptions on Collaborative Writing in a Project-based Course

Abstract

The traditional view that writing is an individual activity often translates into the teaching of it as an individual task. Rarely do students engage in extensive dialogue with their peers when writing. However, much writing in the workplace takes place in collaboration with others. Although, on the surface, many authors may not seem to write with others collaboratively, the truth is that they engage in intensive intrapersonal community affected by interpersonal communication. They also communicate with them through incorporating ideas from other authors and by following requirements set by publishers and teachers. Collectively, these entail that writing instruction at college be tailored towards students' current and future needs. In addition, the collection of student perceptions of such an instructional design is necessary for curriculum designers and teachers to better cater to student needs. It is also useful to identify student perceptions related to gender in gender-segregated learning environments commonly encountered in Arab nations. Motivated by these factors, this study investigated sixty-four first-year Emirati university students' (thirty-one males & thirty-three females) views on collaborative writing in a Project Based Learning (PBL) class on a gender segregated campus. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected using a survey and a discourse completion task. Results revealed that the students believed that collaborative project writing was compatible with the Emirati culture. As well, their overall satisfaction with their collaborative writing experience was positive. They were particularly happy that it contributed to general skills that included the use of technology and critical thinking skills. They were also positive about its effects on their English language and teamwork skills. Promotion of active learning and innovation was also agreed upon as a positive attribute of collaborative project writing. Results also showed that the female students were overall more content with their experience, with particularly positive opinions about its effects on English and teamwork skills. Results are discussed, and recommendations are made to enhance learning environments compatible with the principles of collaborative learning.

Promoting Writing Experiences Through Learning Community to Trigger Students in Writing

“…This is the point in writing and learning community is the right place for them to learn. Shi and Yang (2013); Wilmot and Sioux (2018); Liu, Pardo, and Liu (2017); Dean and Warren (2012) ;Chang, Rao, Stewart, Farley, and Katherine (2016); Deveci (2018);and Schwehm, Saxton, and Stuckey (2017) in their researches state clearly that learning community in different approach gives the extraordinary effect for moving the learners in writing.…”

“…The instructor's attendance in this engagement and community has the main role to facilitate the learners to be more active and it seems that there are no constraints and barriers because all learners have the same goal to learn. Deveci (2018) states that collaborative writing experience is something positive for shaping the learners' motivation in learning. It contributes to English language and teamwork skill in writing that is sharpened.…”

“Can we take a picture with you?” The realization of the refusal speech act with tourists by Emirati speakers

“…Emiratis' use of the English language for various purposes has been investigated by researchers in such areas as writing (Deveci 2018, Nunn, Deveci & Salih 2015, Al Murshidi 2014), speaking (Al Nawrasy 2013, Khameis 2007, and listening (Barlow 2009). However, their realization of speech acts has received little interest from researchers.…”

Collaborative Writing and Peer Feedback Practices Using Google Docs

“…Alharbi (2019) indicated that Google Docs could facilitate writing instructional practices, especially for collaborative writing activities. Google Docs allows people to work, read, review, comment, and edit to each other in the same document simultaneously (Deveci, 2018;Ishtaiwa & Aburazeq, 2015). Given the perpetual benefits that Google Docs offers, this study reported in the paper sought to explore students' interactions and peer feedback practices during the collaborative writing processes using Google Docs, especially in generating their ideas, organizing the text, and constructing the sentences.…”