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A Meta-analysis about the Effects of Computer on EFL Students’ English Writing

Author: LiJing
Tutor: WangHuiLi
School: Dalian University of Technology
Course: Foreign Linguistics and Applied Linguistics
Keywords: computer-based writing meta-analysis teacher’s roles and challenges
CLC: H319
Type: Master's thesis
Year: 2008
Downloads: 165
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Abstract

To use computers for language teaching and learning has become more and more popular in recent years. It has not been a novelty to EFL teachers. With the advent of computer and the Internet, the role of computers in language teaching has now become an important issue confronting many language teachers all over the world. One of the central aims of language teaching is to teach students to communicate effectively with the written word, i.e., to be effective writers. Writing on computers can help student writers attain this goal. The computer and Internet have tremendous potential as a resource in foreign language teaching and also place great demands on the classroom teachers.The purpose of this study is to test the hypothesis that if a computer tool can change the way EFL students approach the task of writing and improve their writing performance. In other words, what are the effects of computers on EFL students’ writing?This thesis attempts to integrate the theory of CALL (computer assisted language learning) and the scaffolding theory into computer assisted English writing and teaching and suggests that teachers should reorient their roles and face new challenges in teaching. English writing is not an isolated behavior which involves a complicated process of knowledge construction. Utilizing different scaffolds such as computer and network can help EFL students work through the zone of proximal development (ZPD).In the thesis meta-analyses are performed including 12 studies selected form 71 related studies focused on the comparison between students writing with computers vs. paper-and-pencil. So called meta-analysis is a new method of literature review which has integrated qualitative analysis and quantitative analysis developed from the traditional literature review. These articles indicate that the writing process is more collaborative and social in computer classrooms as compared with paper-and-pencil environments. In order to support the results of above mentioned meta-analysis, the author tries to compare the different grades of 98 postgraduate students in DUT between handwriting and computer writing to testify the credibility of the research.For people who question whether computers should be used to help students develop writing skills, the results of the thesis suggest that, on average, students who use computers when writing are not only more engaged and motivated in their writing, but they produce written work that is of greater length and higher quality.

A Meta-analysis about the Effects of Computer on EFL Students’ English Writing

Abstract

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