Online Collaboration and Writing Proficiency: A Study of Omani EFL Students at UTAS-Salalah

Abstract

This mixed-methods study examined the impact of online collaboration on developing academic writing skills among English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students in Oman, with an emphasis on student perspectives. Participants were 8 Level 3 students from the Preparatory Studies Center at the University of Technology and Applied Sciences in Salalah. Furthermore, this study adds to the continuing scholarly discourse around the influence of emerging technologies on the writing performance of students. It focuses on the students' viewpoint, which is sometimes overlooked in most English as a Foreign Language (EFL) educational contexts. Data collection involved classroom observations, text analysis, and semi-structured interviews. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, while qualitative data underwent thematic analysis. The results of the analysis of the students' writing revealed that the impact of online collaboration resulted in an enhancement in the students' overall writing performance compared to the scoring of their first drafts. Nevertheless, the implementation of the method resulted in enhanced performance among students in the sub-skills of grammar and vocabulary while content and organization skills remained unchanged. Interviews highlighted perceived benefits of online cooperation for enhancing writing practices and skills. Students affirmed the value of collaboration as a practical tool to build communication and writing proficiency. This study contributes insights on leveraging technology to empower EFL writers from the learner’s viewpoint. Further research should explore optimal strategies for implementing online collaborative writing instruction.