Exploring the impact of Weblogs as compared to pen-and-paper on Saudi University EFL students’ writing: The case of Taif University

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Department of Foreign Languages - Faculty of Arts - Taif University - Althobaiti@tu.edu.sa

Abstract

Using blogging technology in enhancing language learning has been the concern of many researchers in the last two decades. Specifically, weblogs are claimed to act as a contributing tool to EFL students’ language learning and writing. Weblogs can provide students with chances to practice writing in a tension free environment and at their own pace. However, little is known about its feasibility in Saudi EFL writing classes. The study, therefore, attempted to explore the impact of using weblogs, as compared to pen-and-paper, on EFL students’ writing in Taif University. The study adopted a mixed design (quantitative and qualitative) to explore EFL students’ writings and views about the use of such a technology as compared to pen-and-paper writing. The quantitative part of the study was in the form of quasi-experiment design and the qualitative was in the form of interview. Both methods represent a case study of EFL students in Taif University. A weblog was created for the purpose of the study via the Learning Management System (LMS), Blackboard (BB). The participants were EFL 30 and they were requested to complete pen and paper writing tasks, weblog writing tasks, and the interview. The data were both quantitatively and qualitatively analyzed. The study results showed positive views among students regarding the use of weblogs in their writing class. The results are hoped to provide more insights into and understanding of the link between language learning through writing development and the use of technology in an EFL context. The results are also hoped to serve as starting point for integrating such a technology into language teaching in other university EFL courses. In addition, the study is hoped to provide teacher-educators and teachers with insightful recommendations on the development of EFL writing and the use of technology.

References

  1.  

    1. Al-Hammadi, F., & Sidek, H. M. (2015). An analytical framework for analysing secondary EFL writing curriculum: Approaches for writing and preparation for higher education. International Education Studies, 8(1), 59-70.
    2. Aljumah, F. H. (2012). Saudi learner perceptions and attitudes towards the use of blogs in teaching English writing course for EFL majors at Qassim University. English Language Teaching, 5(1), pp.100-116.
    3. AlKadi, S. Z., & Madini, A. A. (2019). EFL learners’ lexico-grammatical competence in paper-based vs computer-based in genre writing. Arab World English Journal (AWEJ) Special Issue on CALL Number 5, July 2019, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3431758 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3431758
    4. Al-Khairy, M. A. (2013). Saudi English-Major undergraduates’ academic writing problems: A Taif University perspective. English Language Teaching, 6(6), p1. http://dx.doi.org/10.5539/elt.v6n6p1
    5. Althobaiti, N. & Algethami, G. (2018). Engaging EFL Saudi tertiary students’ writing skills by using Weblogs: Implications to EFL program development. Menoufia University Faculty of Arts Journal, 113 (29),3-16.
    6. Althobaiti, N. (2014). Error correction in EFL writing: The case of Saudi Arabia, Taif University. Journal of Modern Education Review, 4(12), 1038-1053.
    7. Álvarez, G. (2012). New technologies in the university context: The use of blogs for developing students’ reading and writing skills. Universities and Knowledge Society Journal (RUSC), 9(2), pp. 185-199. http://dx.doi.org/10.7238/rusc.v9i2.1160
    8. Ananyeva, M. (2014). “Blogfolios” and their role in the development of research projects in an advanced academic literacy class for ESL students. TechTrends, 58(5), 22-26.
    9. Arena, C. (2008). Blogging in the language classroom: It does not simply happen. TSEL-EJ. Teaching English as a second or Foreign Language, 1, 4. http://www.teslej.Org/wordpress/past-issues/volume11/ej44/ej44a3/
    10. Aşıksoy, G. (2018). The effects of the gamified flipped classroom environment (GFCE) on students’ motivation, learning achievements and perception in a physics course. Quality & Quantity, 52(1), 129-145.‏
    11. Aydin, S. (2014). The use of blogs in learning English as a Foreign Language. Mevlana International Journal of Education (MIJE), 4(1)                   ,244-259.
    12. Baxter, P., & Jack, S. (2008). Qualitative case study methodology: Study design and implementation for novice researchers. The Qualitative Report, 13(4), 544-559.
    13. Blood, B. (2002). The Weblog Handbook: Practical Advice on Creating and Maintaining your blog. Basic Books.           
    14. Blood, R. (2002). Weblogs: A history and perspective. In Editors of Perseus Publishing (Eds.). We’ve Got Blog: How Weblogs are Changing Culture (pp. 7-16). Cambridge, MA: Perseus Publishing.
    15. Campbell, A. P. (2004). Using LiveJournal for authentic communication in EFL classes. The Internet TESL Journal, 10(9), 64-68. 
    16. Chen, J. C., & Brown, K. L. (2012). The effects of authentic audience on English as a second language (ESL) writers: A task-based, computer-mediated approach. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 25(5),                 435-454.‏
    17. Dalir, M., Jafarigohar, M., & Soleimani, H. (2013). The effect of using weblogs on Iranian EFL learners’ writing skill. International Journal of Language Learning and Applied Linguistics World, 3(4), 213-223.
    18. Denscombe, M. (2010). The good research guide for small-scale social research projects (4th ed.). Maidenhead, UK: Open University Press.
    19. Dieu, B. (2004). Blogs for language learning. Essential Teacher, Autumn 1(4), 26-30.
    20. Ezza, E. S. (2010). Arab EFL learners’ writing dilemma at tertiary level. English Language Teaching, 3(4), 33-39.‏
    21. Fageeh, A. I. (2011). EFL learners’ use of blogging for developing writing skills and enhancing attitudes towards English learning: An exploratory study. Journal of Language and Literature, 2(1), 3-48.
    22. Gedera, D. (2012). The dynamics of blog peer feedback in ESL classroom. Teaching English with technology, 12(4), 16-30.‏
    23. Godwin-Jones, R. (2008). Web-writing 2.0: Enabling, documenting, and assessing writing online. Language Learning & Technology, 12(2), 7-12.‏
    24. Gray-Rosendale, L. (Ed.). (2018). Getting personal: teaching personal writing in the digital age. Albany, New York: SUNY Press.‏
    25. Halic, O., Lee, D., Paulus, T., & Spence, M. (2010). To blog or not to blog: Student perceptions of blog effectiveness for learning in a college-level course. The Internet and Higher Education, 13(4), 206-          213.
    26. Huffman, K. L. (2017). Digital art history: Building a “model” for student engagement. In Visualizing Venice (pp. 111-117). Routledge.‏
    27. Jacobs, H.L., Zinkgraf, S.A., Wormuth, D.R., Hartfiel, V.F. and Hughey, J.B. (1981). Testing ESL composition: a practical approach. Rowley, MA: Newbury House.
    28. Javid, C. Z., & Umer, M. (2014). Saudi EFL learners’ writing problems: a move towards solution. Proceeding of the Global Summit on Education GSE, 4-5.‏
    29. Johnson, A. (2004). Creating a writing course utilizing class and student blogs. The Internet TESL Journal, 10(8), 10-10. 
    30. Kim, H. (2008). The phenomenon of blogs and theoretical model of blog use in educationalcontexts. Computers & Education, 51 (1), 1342–1352.
    31. Kress, G. (2005). Gains and losses: New forms of texts, knowledge, and learning. Computers and composition, 22(1), 5-22.‏   
    32. Lamb, A., & Johnson, L. (2012). Technology swarms for digital learners. Teacher Librarian, 39(5), 67.
    33. Lee, L. (2010). Fostering reflective writing and interactive exchange through blogging in  an advanced language course. ReCALL: the Journal of EUROCALL, 22(2), 212
    34. Lee, M. C. (2013). The multifaceted aspects of blogging as an educational platform. In Knowledge Sharing through Technology (pp. 56-68). Springer Berlin: Heidelberg.
    35. Liang, M. Y. (2010). Using synchronous online peer response groups in EFL writing: Revision-related discourse. Language Learning & Technology, 14(1), 45-64.
    36. Lin, M. H., N. Groom and C. Y. Lin. (2013). Blog-assisted learning in the ESL writing classroom: A phenomenological analysis. Educational Technology and Society 16(3): 130–139.
    37. Lin, M. H., Li, J. J., Hung, P. Y., & Huang, H. W. (2014). Blogging a journal: Changing students’ writing skills and perceptions. ELT Journal, 68(4), 422-431.
    38. Mahmoud, S. S. (2014). Email and Facebook to promote Foundation Year students’ EFL writing at King Abdul-Aziz University. International Review of Social Sciences & Humanities, 6(2), 157-172.
    39. Oravec, J. A. (2002). Bookmarking the world: Weblog applications in education. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 45(7), p. 616-621.
    40. Östlund, U., Kidd, L., Wengström, Y., & Rowa-Dewar, N. (2011). Combining qualitative and quantitative research within mixed method research designs: A methodological review. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 48(3), 369-383.‏
    41. Park, J. (2016). Integrating reading and writing through extensive reading. ELT Journal, 70(3), 287-295.‏
    42. Richardson, W. (2005). Blogs, wikis, podcasts, and other powerful web tools for classrooms. Corwin press: Thousand Oaks.   
    43. Sari, S. D. (2014). The student-bloggers’ voices on the contribution of EFL writing through blogging. Beyond Words, 2(1), 90-111.
    44. Simons, H. (2009). Case study research in practice. SAGE publications: Thousand Oaks.   
    45. Smith, J. A. (Ed.). (2015). Qualitative psychology: A practical guide to research methods. Sage: Thousand Oaks.   
    46. Sullivan, A. (2008). Why I blog. The Atlantic, 11. http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2008/11/why-i-blog/307060/
    47. Sun, Y. C. (2010). Extensive writing in foreign‐language classrooms: A blogging approach. Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 47(3), 327-339.‏
    48. Trayek, A., Fuad, A., Hassan, S., & Sariah, S. (2013). Attitude towards the use of learning management system among university students: A case study. Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education-TOJDE, 14(3), 91-103.
    49. Venkatesh, V., Croteau, A. M., & Rabah, J. (2014, January). Perceptions of effectiveness of instructional uses of technology in higher education in an era of Web 2.0. In 2014 47th Hawaii international conference on system sciences (pp. 110-119). IEEE.‏
    50. Vurdien, R. (2013). Enhancing writing skills through blogging in an advanced English as a Foreign Language class in Spain. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 26(2), 126- 143.
    51. Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University.‏
    52. Wang, Y. C. (2014). Using wikis to facilitate interaction and collaboration among EFL learners: A social constructivist approach to language teaching. System, 42, 383-390.
    53. Warschauer, M. (1996).Comparing face-to-face and electronic discussion in the foreign language classroom. CALICO Journal, 13(2-3), 7-26.
    54. Williams, J., & Chinn, S. J. (2009). Using Web 2.0 to support the active learning experience. Journal of Information Systems Education, 20(2), 165.‏
    55. Woo, Y., & Reeves, T. C. (2007). Meaningful interaction in web-based learning: A social constructivist interpretation. The Internet and higher education, 10(1), 15-25.‏
    56. Wopereis, I. G., Sloep, P. B., & Poortman, S. H. (2010). Weblogs as instruments for reflection on action in teacher education. Interactive Learning Environments, 18(3), 245-261.‏
    57. Wu, W. S. (2006). The effect of blog peer review and teacher feedback on the revisions of EFL writers. Journal of Education and Foreign Languages and Literature, 3(2), 125-138.
    58. Ying, K. K., Cheung, M., Leung, K., Kwan, R., Lee, R., & Wong, K. (2013). Learning through blogging: Understanding teacher and student perceptions towards English writing blogs. In Knowledge Sharing through Technology (pp. 200-211). Springer Berlin: Heidelberg.
    59. Yu-Chun Wang (2015). Promoting collaborative writing through wikis: a new approach for advancing innovative and active learning in an ESP context. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 28:6, 499-512.
    60. Zhang, D. (2009). The application of blog in English writing. Journal of Cambridge Studies, 64, 64–73.

     

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics