The Impact of Mediational Artifact Types on EFL Learners’ Writing Complexity: Collaboration vs. Asynchronous Artifacts

Subject Areas : All areas of language and translation

Nasibe Bagherpour ¹ , Mojgan Rashtchi ² , Parviz Birjandi ³

1 - Department of Foreign Languages, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
2 - Department of Foreign Languages, North Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran 3
3 - Department of Foreign Languages, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran

Received: 2017-06-11 Accepted : 2017-12-26 Published : 2017-12-01

Keywords: Complexity, collaboration, writing performance, Asynchronous computer mediation, Mediating artifact, Scaffol d- ing instruction,

Abstract :

The present study was an attempt to investigate the significance of environmental changes on the develo p- ment of writing in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) context with respect to the individual. This study also compared the impacts of collaboration and asynchronous computer mediation (ACM) on the writing complexity of EFL learners. To this end, three intact writing classes were designated as Collaborative face - to - face group (N = 21), Asynchronous Computer Mediation group (N = 20) and Control group (N =16). The two experimental groups received scaffolding instructio ns on narrative essays. The collaborative face - to - face group (CFFG) went through the working in pairs, and working asynchronously through a researcher - designed website (ACMG). The data were analyzed employing ANOVA. The results showed that CFFG improved in terms of complexity and positive impact of Collaborative approach and superb performance of CFFG over the ACMG. The findings brought to light the benefits of pair work and showed that learners working in pairs used structures that were more complex in the ir writing than ACM class.

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