WIKI AS A MEDIUM OF AN ONLINE EFL COLLABORATIVE WRITING CLASS IN TAIWAN

The purpose of this project was to research the possibility of using a wiki-based website as a medium in an EFL online collaborative writing class. The focus of this paper was to present an example of how group writing, peer revising, and editing can be collaboratively accomplished on a wikis website. The participants in this study were thirty-five freshmen at a technical college in Taiwan. Data were collected and analyzed through student created concept maps, the writings of twelve writing groups, student interviews, and student reflections on the project at the end of instruction. Findings indicated that students perceived wikis as an innovative online tool for providing group members an opportunity for collaborative brainstorming, group discussions, writing, and editing during assigned writing tasks. Through wikis writing, students not only learned how to share and communicate a wide variety of ideas with peers but also developed important social skills through group discussions. The implications of the findings provide EFL and other educators with a practical instructional strategy for writing instruction.