The Impact of Individual Learner Motivation on Group Activities that use Google Docs for Simultaneous Collaborative Writing
12:00 - 14:00
1N1.4.1
Dr Mufeeda Irshad, University of Sri Jayewardenepura
Lectures, talks and seminars
Language and Linguistics Seminar Series
Language and Linguistics, Department of
This week we are joined by Dr Mufeeda Irshad, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, to talk about her recent research.
12-1pm Dr Irshad will take to the stage to deliver her talk, followed by a lunch provided by Language and Linguistics from 1pm-2pm.ABSTRACT
Even though many studies have shown that collaborative writing improves learners’ writing performance (Yim, Wang, Olson, Vu, & Warschauer, 2017; Yeh, 2014), little is known about the impact of motivation, an individual learner characteristic, on formal on-line collaborative writing development of mixed ability groups where intra and inter student variation and variability is a common feature (Verspoor, Lowie, & Van Dijk, 2008). This research seeks to find out if the individual learner characteristic, motivation, has an impact on learner engagement and collaborative writing development using Google Docs in order to further inform teachers regarding its benefits and challenges. A quasi-experimental longitudinal study of two semesters using mixed measures will be conducted to address the research questions. A sample of seventy first year students of the Faculty of Management Studies and Commerce of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura will participate in the study. The theoretical base of the research is the Complex Dynamic System Theory (Larsen Freeman, 2012). This investigation is significant, for on-line collaborative writing in formal classroom setting is fast gaining popularity in Sri Lanka, and it is reported to be holding potential as a promising new technique for instruction (Yim et al.).