ESL INSTRUCTORS AND LEARNERS’ VIEWS ON THE USE OF DROPBOX AS A SHARING TOOL IN WRITING LESSONS

Abstract

Many researchers have been investigating ways to improve learners’ writing competency through various strategies. However, there are very few, if any, that look into ESL learners’ participation in an online discussion using Dropbox during writing lessons. How learners and instructors perceive the use of Dropbox for writing activities has also not been well informed. Therefore, this article aims to present a study that investigated the online interactions among 54 learners and two instructors from a local university in Malaysia who used Dropbox as a complementary tool in their English writing lessons. The study was a qualitative research which involved interviews and focus groups. The data collected was analysed using a qualitative data analysis software, Atlas.ti version 7. The findings revealed that instructors and learners had positive views towards the use of Dropbox in a writing lesson. It was also found that instructors and learners agreed Dropbox was an effective sharing tool for collaborative writing. The findings, however, pointed to the need for future studies on various ways Dropbox can be used to keep learners’ motivation high. Keywords: Dropbox, ESL learners, online interactions, sharing tools, writing skillsCite as: Mohamed, M. & Bahari, A.A. (2016). ESL instructors and learners’ views on the use of Dropbox as a sharing tool in writing lessons. Journal of Nusantara Studies, 1(2), 1-10.