The impact of computer-mediated contexts on interaction pattern of ESL learners in collaborative writing

Abstract

ABSTRACTThis case study examined dynamic interactions of two small teams of English as Second Language students when they performed two collaborative argument writing tasks in asynchronous and synchronous web-based contexts. The two teams exhibited different interaction patterns when switching between contexts. These patterns were identified in terms of ‘equality’ and ‘mutuality’ by analysing language functions and writing change functions during the process of collaborative writing. The dynamic feature of peer interactions in different contexts was explained. Participants’ interviews and reflection papers, along with online discourse, revealed that contexts affect interactions through a set of different factors. The findings may help explain the variations of collaboration in online writing contexts, and provide insights into how the contexts should be considered in the design of web-based collaborative writing activities in L2 classes.