The impact of an online collaboration tool on first-year community college students’ learning of expository writing

This exploratory study examined the reading-writing connection and the effects of online collaboration through the use of OneNote on improving the expository writing performance of first-year community college students. The intervention was a 10-week integrated reading and writing instructional program focused on systematically developing discrete expository writing skills each week. Peer collaboration and technology were used to support students in developing higher-order cognitive skills characteristic of source-based writing. Data were collected from 70 students enrolled in four sections of a communications course in a large community college, with sections assigned to either a control or treatment group. Pre- and post-writing tests and standardized reading tests measuring three different reading attributes were analyzed to examine correlations and performance of the control and treatment groups. The findings included a significant difference in the treatment lower-proficiency sub-group’s writing performance, indicating that the instructional framework with the technology-supported collaborative setting had a positive effect.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Arts (MA)

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Automotive Engineering

Grantor

University of Ontario Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2021

Author dc:creator

• Mak, Lillian

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Li, Jia

• Expository writing
• Integrated reading-writing
• Technology
• Collaboration
• Community college

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/10155/1279

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:ontariotechu.scholaris.ca:10155/1279