Dissertation > Excellent graduate degree dissertation topics show

A Tentative Study on the Metacognition in Computer-Assisted English Writing of Non-English Major Students

Author: YanBin
Tutor: LiuBing
School: Taiyuan University of Technology
Course: Foreign Linguistics and Applied Linguistics
Keywords: computer-assisted English writing metacognition metacognitive strategies metacognitive training
CLC: H315
Type: Master's thesis
Year: 2009
Downloads: 38
Quote: 0
Read: Download Dissertation

Abstract

In recent years, as the society and technology advance, CALL begins to walk into college English teaching and learning in many universities. Computer-assisted English writing is of great importance and of great interests and concerns, since the demands for the writing ability of the college students are enhanced according to the new Curriculum. It is a new way in the field and the problem lies in how computers can be best used to improve writing competence of the students.Meanwhile, metacognition is the highlight of the present studies, especially in the field of college English writing instruction. More and more researchers abroad and at home are trying to investigate the metacognition of the students in EFL writing. As we know, among all the learning strategies, metacognitive strategy is a higher-order executive skill which involves consciously planning, monitoring and evaluating. The application of metacognitive strategy in English writing can not only promote students’awareness of themselves as writers and of the writing task, but also improve their control and monitor of writing process. Thus, studying English writing from the metacognitive perspective can take account of both the dynamic nature of writing and the static knowledge of the writers.In the context of the deficiency of college students’writing ability, the author of this paper, by carrying out an empirical study, intends to explore the effective components in metacognition of the Chinese non-English major students in computer-assisted English writing, and feasibility of incorporating metacognitive strategy training in computer-assisted English writing, and its effects on students’writing proficiency, through which it is assumed to help the instructors identify more effective ways, hoping to offer some insights into computer-assisted English writing practice.The study, by adopting a self-designed questionnaire, writing tests, and interviews, is conducted among 120 non-English major sophomores from four intact classes in Taiyuan University of Technology. The questionnaire is firstly administered among the subjects. Then, a pre-test is followed. After that, the experimental group and control group receive the different instruction on the English writing. The last one is the post-test followed by interviews.After the data collected from the questionnaires and the writing tests is analyzed by factor analysis, eight components of the metacognition in CAEW are identified, which proves the Flavell’s theory. The finding is the further new development of his theory in CAEW environment in Chinese context. Besides, it is also proved that the metacognitive training is helpful to improve students’writing proficiency.The pedagogical implication is that the metacognitive training should play a more important role in the college English writing class. Incorporating metacognition into language study can help students facilitate their command of different skills, encourage them to take responsibility for their own learning process, and makes students ultimately achieve their goals. Therefore, the study endorses the notion of integrating metacognitive training directly into the in-class instructional plan and embedding metacognition into daily teaching tasks. In this way, the students would form their way of learning under the guidance of the teachers, which is what the education is for.

A Tentative Study on the Metacognition in Computer-Assisted English Writing of Non-English Major Students

Abstract

Related Dissertations