Investigating synchronous and asynchronous written corrective feedback in a computer-assisted environment: EFL learners’ linguistic performance and perspectives

Abstract

While the existing literature contains a plethora of studies on written corrective feedback (WCF), little attention has been paid to the timing of such a practice. To fill this gap, this study adopted a quasi-experimental design to compare the effects of synchronous WCF (SWCF) and asynchronous WCF (AWCF) on Chinese tertiary EFL learners’ linguistic performance and perceptions. Three intact university English classes were recruited and assigned into three groups: SWCF group (n = 30), AWCF group (n = 30), and comparison group (n = 32). The two treatment groups received nine rounds of mid-focused direct WCF in a computer-mediated setting, while the comparison group did not receive any feedback. The results indicated that the two treatment groups improved their linguistic accuracy significantly, although the treatment did not promote syntactic complexity and fluency. Furthermore, SWCF was more effective than AWCF in enhancing accuracy. The comparison group failed to improve any dimensions of their linguistic performance. To explore the EFL learners’ perspectives on SWCF and AWCF, we conducted semi-structured interviews with the two treatment groups, showing that learners generally had positive perceptions about the two types of WCF. Some important implications are discussed.