Abstract:

Various studies and literature (Li, 2013; Lund,2008; Warschaur, 2010; Kessler, Bikowski and and Boggs: 2012) have examined the use of wikis and other Web 2.0 collaborative writing tools in language learning indicating the pedagogical potential these tools offer for carrying out group writing tasks. Easy to use and collaborative in nature, wikis can be motivating for many students reluctant to participate in group writing. Furthermore, teachers can better understand the collaboration and writing processes of their learners via the wiki history tracking feature. Most existing studies are based on collaboration between 2 students and few actually include more than 3 students at a time (Kessler, Bikowski and Boggs 2012; Storch, 2005). This may be due to the fact that while wiki software was initially developed for collaboration, it’s inherent “messiness” may be considered an additional obstacle in what may already be considered to be a complex process. Nonetheless, for those teachers brave enough to go beyond this initial challenge, wikis can provide insight and understanding into student preferences and interaction and the writing and work processes involved in carrying out and completing collaborative writing tasks.

This presentation reveals findings from one such study involving groups of 3 and 4 learners participating in a wiki-mediated collaborative writing project and considers the following questions:
1) What are the affordances and limitations of the wiki technology?
2) What patterns of interaction emerge among learners while carrying out collaborative writing tasks?
3) What does the wiki tool reveal about the writing process phases of a collaborative writing?
4) How do learners perceive and use the wiki tool?
5) What considerations should be given when designing tasks for wikis or other collaborative writing tools?

The answers to these questions are presented according to the findings of a mixed methods case study involving 61 first year English as a Foreign language students studying in their first year of a Tourism Degree program. By examining student perceptions and use of the wiki tool, the author hopes to shed light on the complex processes involved in collaborative writing in order to improve task design and develop best practices.

Keywords:

Foreign language learning, collaborative writing, wikis, Computer Supported Collaborative Writing using Wikis.