Improving children’s textual cohesion and writing attitude in a game-based writing environment

Abstract

This study describes the use of a game-based writing environment (GWE) to increase textual cohesion in students’ writing and improve their writing attitude. The participants were 113 third-grade students in Taiwan; the study was conducted over two semesters. A GWE was used for the experimental group (n = 56), and a conventional writing environment was used for the control group (n = 57). Both environments were constructed using the Reading for Creating and Talking for Revising writing model, which has helped students overcome writing difficulties. The GWE provided management-related game elements and a game-based feedback mechanism in the form of peer response and created a setting in which students could engage in more writing activity, pay more attention to their writing, and improve their writing skills. The results indicated that the experimental group performed better than the control group in referential cohesion and in terms of their affective, challenge, and qualified attitudes. We speculate that the GWE strengthens students’ textual cohesion and writing attitude.

Keywords:

• Textual cohesion
• writing attitude
• game-based learning
• online writing environment

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the Ministry of Science and Technology of the Republic of China, Taiwan for financial support (101‐2511‐S‐008‐016‐MY3 and 102‐2811‐S‐008‐009) and Research Center for Science and Technology for Learning, National Central University, Taiwan.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Wan-Chen Chang

Wan-Chen Chang is Assistant Professor of the Department of Human Development and Family Studies at National Taiwan Normal University in Taiwan. She received her Ph.D. in the Graduate Institute of Learning and Instruction at National Central University in 2014. Since 2014, she was an adjunct assistant professor and a postdoctoral scholar in the Institute of Network Learning Technology and the Graduate Institute of Learning and Instruction at National Central University, Taiwan. Her research focuses on emergent literacy, instructional strategies for reading comprehension, and Technology Enhanced Language Learning (TELL).

Chang-Yen Liao

Chang-Yen Liao is Assistant Professor and Dean’s Special Assistant in College of Nursing at National Taipei University of Nursing and Health Sciences in Taiwan. He received his master’s degree and PhD from the Institute of Network Learning Technology at National Central University in Taiwan. After that, he was an adjunct assistant professor and a postdoctoral scholar in the Institute of Network Learning Technology at National Central University, Taiwan. He also was an associate professor in the National Engineering Research Center for E-Learning, Central China Normal University, China. His research focuses on computer-based language learning for primary schools. His current research interests include a game-based learning environment and Caregiving & Wellbeing.

Tak-Wai Chan

Tak-Wai Chan is Chair Professor of Research Institute of Network Learning Technology in National Central University, Taiwan. He grew up in Hong Kong, earned his bachelor’s degree in pure math at the University of Nottingham in England, and received both his Master and PhD degrees in Computer Science at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He is interested in intelligent learning companion, intelligent tutoring systems, game-based learning, seamless learning, computer-supported collaborative learning, network learning community building, extensive reading, writing, and math learning. He co-founded Asia-Pacific Society for Computers in Education and Global Chinese Society for Computers in Education.