Students and the Teacher’s Perceptions on Incorporating the Blog Task and Peer Feedback into EFL Writing Classes Through Blogs

Hsin-Yi Cyndi Huang

doi:10.5539/elt.v9n11p38

Abstract

<p>With the availability of Web 2.0 technologies, blogs have become useful and attractive tools for teachers of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) in their writing classes. Learners do not need to understand HTML in order to construct blogs, and the appearance and content can be facilitated via the use of photos, music, and video files (Vurdien, 2013). To provide an authentic and motivating writing environment, a blog task was designed and integrated into three writing courses for 57 applied English or English major students at two southern Taiwan universities. Using the triangulated approach, this study collected data from three different angles (students’ questionnaires, students’ focus group interviews, and the teacher’s observation log) to investigate whether participant perceptions empirically supported the theoretical hypothesis that blogging contributes to writing performance. The findings showed that both the teacher and students had a positive attitude towards the blog task and may indicate that blogging is a useful alternative approach but may also be regular incorporated in writing classes to enhance EFL writing motivation. Nevertheless, blogs may not be the most suitable tool for all types of writing tasks and the most appropriate medium for all components of feedback. The conclusions of this study are consistent with previous findings on the practicality and potential of using blog software to promote peer feedback as well as to facilitate effective writing instruction.</p>

Highlights

Writing skills are crucial for students in higher education and their future careers
The findings showed that both the teacher and students had a positive attitude towards the blog task and may indicate that blogging is a useful alternative approach but may be regular incorporated in writing classes to enhance English as a Foreign Language (EFL) writing motivation
This study offers insight into the perceptions of students toward incorporating blog tasks into writing classes as well as the helpfulness of peer feedback

Summary

Introduction

Writing skills are crucial for students in higher education and their future careers. Many college students within English or applied English majors struggle in English composition classes and consider it the most difficult skill to acquire, for three reasons. They are not used to thinking in English and tend to use direct translations from the mother tongue to English. They may not have strong English grammatical knowledge. They may have lower motivation for writing tasks and assignments in traditional writing classes, since the writing teacher is usually the only perceived audience for the students’ writing (Aljumah, 2012; Davis, 1997). Incorporating blog tasks into writing courses may boost EFL students’ writing motivation and effectiveness because they are aware that both the teacher and their peers, and perhaps the world, are reading their writing (Aljumah, 2012)

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Discussion

Conclusion