Towards a unified English technology-based writing curriculum in the Arabian Gulf countries: the case of Oman

Abstract

This study investigates the efficacy of a new testing tool, a Web-based application known as the Academic Writing Wizard (AWW), in creating a unified English technology-based writing curriculum in the Arabian Gulf countries, focusing particularly on the case of Oman. The application was piloted in three Oman high schools selected by the Omani Education Ministry. All the schools have class grades 11 and 12 only. Over 2 weeks, 71 students and 6 teachers were trained in the effective use of AWW. In the pre-application phase, the selected students were asked to write a five-paragraph essay without using AWW. In the post-application phase, they were asked to write the same essay employing AWW, specifically elements of the Lexical Cohesive Trio (LCT), combining elements of textual reference: anaphora, cataphora, transitional signals, lexical repetition, and lexical phrases. A total of 71 respondents took part in the study. All were senior grade students (class grades 11 and 12). Comparisons of the two groups with respect to the quantitative and scoring scales were performed on the basis of the nonparametric Mann–Whitney criterion. An analysis of the dynamics of the indexes was conducted on the basis of the nonparametric Wilcoxon criterion. A multifactorial dispersive analysis was performed to study the influence of the factors in class. MANOVA was also conducted to study the influence of two factors simultaneously: the class and the time period. Based on the results of the statistical analysis, the following was found:1. The dynamics of the index Teacher’s Score and the values of indexes in all the grades were higher in the post-application period.2. There was a statistically significant positive increase across all indexes between the post-application and pre-application periods in each grade.3. The dynamics of the index Teacher’s Score and the values of indexes in all the grades were higher in the post-application period. There was an incremental increase from the post-app period to the pre-app period in the 11th grade and 12th grade of 3%. Thus, the index Teacher’s Score was influenced by the Period factor.4. The dynamics of the Score index were clearly visible. The values of the index Score in all the classes were higher in the post-app period.5. Based on the results of the multifactorial dispersive analysis per index Score, Teacher’s Score and Final Grade were influenced by the Period factor only.When the index Final Grade is compared, the average score was 46.3 ± 5.8% in the 11th grade in the pre-app period, which increased by 13% to 59.3 ± 5.5% (P < 0.0001) during the post-app period. In the12th grade, the average score of the same index was 48.1 ± 8.4% in the pre-app period, which increased by approximately 13% to 61.0 ± 7.5% (P < 0.0001) during the post-app period. The results further indicate that the application of AWW significantly improved Omani students’ English academic writing skills. Therefore, AWW will be a useful tool in the English curriculum of both Omani and Arabian Gulf English schools.