A classroom-centered research on interaction through peer review in the online English class

Abstract

This study reports a teacher-initiated classroom investigation on how interaction can be enhanced through peer feedback among students in the college online English class. Data were collected from different sources including student self-assessment, questionnaire, students’ written work, pre- and post-tests, and teacher’s diary entries. The research used quantitative and qualitative research methods in the complementary manner. The gathered data were triangulated to improve the validity of the finding. It was found that peer review in writing activity could promote interaction among students in the online class and benefitstudents’ second or foreign language learning. It was also found that peer feedback activity could bring change in the traditional teacher-centered online class by giving students an opportunity to get self-directed and to work in collaboration with their peers. Through classroom research the teacher was involved in the critical reflection upon his practice, and his ownership of change was enhanced over the investigation process. The finding of the current study in terms of continuing professional development suggests that teachers learn and develop through the investigation into their own language class.