Genre, academic writing and e-learning: An integrated tertiary level Taiwan-based study
type: CreativeWork
description: The research reported here has two main focus points: online learning and the teaching of academic writing to learners of English as an additional language. At its core is a study involving an intensive genre-centered writing course conducted in a tertiary educational institution in Taiwan and delivered in three modes - face-to-face, fully online and blended. That study, preceded by a pilot study conducted in New Zealand, involved a writing course that focused on cognitive genres (e.g. argument) that have been identified as being fundamental to academic writing. It included model texts (constructed in segments with accompanying discussion of their language and structure) and writing exercises. Analysis of post-course questionnaires and focus group discussions revealed a high level of satisfaction with the course. Analysis of pre-test and post-test writing tasks in terms of a wide range of criteria provided evidence of improvement in the writing of course participants in a range of areas. Although those involved in blended and face-to-face modes were most positive about the advantages of the course, it was not necessarily always the case that they outperformed online group members in terms of improvement in writing. Also included are two questionnaire-based surveys of samples of teachers of English in tertiary level educational institutions in Taiwan. The first investigated attitudes and practices in relation to the integration of instructional technology into teaching. Although the vast majority of survey participants believed that it was important to incorporate instructional technology into their teaching, this was not necessarily reflected in their more specific beliefs and practices. Very few reported having spent more than a few hours attending instructional technology-related workshops, more than half indicated that very little or none of the interaction in their language classes was computer-mediated, only approximately one third reported having used a learni…
abstract: The research reported here has two main focus points: online learning and the teaching of academic writing to learners of English as an additional language. At its core is a study involving an intensive genre-centered writing course conducted in a tertiary educational institution in Taiwan and delivered in three modes - face-to-face, fully online and blended. That study, preceded by a pilot study conducted in New Zealand, involved a writing course that focused on cognitive genres (e.g. argument) that have been identified as being fundamental to academic writing. It included model texts (constructed in segments with accompanying discussion of their language and structure) and writing exercises. Analysis of post-course questionnaires and focus group discussions revealed a high level of satisfaction with the course. Analysis of pre-test and post-test writing tasks in terms of a wide range of criteria provided evidence of improvement in the writing of course participants in a range of areas. Although those involved in blended and face-to-face modes were most positive about the advantages of the course, it was not necessarily always the case that they outperformed online group members in terms of improvement in writing. Also included are two questionnaire-based surveys of samples of teachers of English in tertiary level educational institutions in Taiwan. The first investigated attitudes and practices in relation to the integration of instructional technology into teaching. Although the vast majority of survey participants believed that it was important to incorporate instructional technology into their teaching, this was not necessarily reflected in their more specific beliefs and practices. Very few reported having spent more than a few hours attending instructional technology-related workshops, more than half indicated that very little or none of the interaction in their language classes was computer-mediated, only approximately one third reported having used a learni…
author: Lin, Hsiu-Chen (Antonia)
keywords: genre, academic writing, elearning, genre-centered academic writing instruction
date published: 2010
date modified: 2026-07-24T05:57:55Z
provider: University Waikato
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: The University of Waikato