Microgenetic analysis of written languaging attributes on form-focused and content-focused e-collaborative writing tasks in Google Docs.

Abstract

Written languaging (WL) as a facilitator of second/foreign language (L2) learning has been investigated by several researchers. Yet, the dynamic nature of WL episodes has remained under-researched. This study aimed to examine whether the focus of e-collaborative writing and the mediation modalities in Google Docs would have differential impacts on the attributes of WL episodes. To do so, 68 Iranian English-as-a-Foreign-Language (EFL) university students were selected, paired, and randomly assigned to two advanced-level groups. By producing WL episodes, pair languagers collaborated on either a form-focused (translation) or a content-focused (data commentary) procedural writing task. Both groups received asynchronous teacher-led mediation and Google Docs automated mediation on their task performance. The WL episodes were analyzed for their quantity, focus (on grammar, lexis, and discourse markers), and resolution. Statistical results indicated that (1) the form-focused writing task could generate more WL episodes than the content-focused writing task, (2) pair languagers focused on grammar more than lexis and discourse markers on both tasks, (3) the teacher-led mediation and Google Docs automated mediation could generate a similar number of WL episodes, and (4) Google Docs automated mediation caused more successful resolution of WL episodes than teacher-led mediation. Pedagogical implications of the study recommend that L2 teachers blend task-based writing, student collaboration, and mediation modalities in e-learning contexts. The re-evaluation of Google Docs for the restricted focus of its automated mediation on lower-level linguistic features of grammar and lexis can also direct future advanced educational technology research.