Implementing collaborative writing in teacher-centered classroom contexts: student beliefs and perceptions

Abstract

This study investigated students’ perceptions of collaborative writing in a teacher-centred class and their change in beliefs about English writing through collaborative writing experiences. The analysis of multiple data sources (i.e., video recordings of collaborative writing activities, two in-depth, semi-structured interviews, one stimulated recall interview and four response papers) from three selected participants revealed that collaborative writing was perceived as beneficial for improving writing, providing the opportunity to pool ideas and having positive emotional (e.g., reducing stress) and social effects (e.g., building a network). The participants were also concerned that it limited their actual learning and thinking, increased the difficulty of dealing with various views and provoked negative emotions (e.g., loss of self-confidence) and social effects (e.g., feeling isolated). In addition, the analysis of the students’ beliefs about English writing before and after collaborative writing revealed their reconsideration of what good English writing involved (from focusing on vocabulary, sentences and grades to understandable texts), the purpose of English writing (from exam-­oriented purposes to communication purposes), the focus in English writing (from product writing to process writing) and the nature of English writing (from individual work to teamwork).

KEYWORDS:

• Collaborative writing
• learners’ perceptions
• learners’ beliefs
• teacher-centred classroom

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Wenting Chen

Dr. Wenting Chen, PhD, is Assistant Professor of English, Capital Normal University, China. She received her PhD degree in Curriculum and Instruction at The University of Toledo of the U.S. Her research interests include second language writing, multicultural education, and teacher education. Her publications have appeared in Journal of Ethnographic & Qualitative Research, Journal of Pacific Rim Psychology, and Psychology & Education.

Shulin Yu

Dr. Shulin Yu is Assistant Professor at Faculty of Education, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China. He obtained his PhD degree in Education at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. His research interests include second language writing and second language education. His publications have appeared in Assessing Writing, Language Teaching Research, Language Teaching, TESOL Quarterly, Journal of Education for Teaching, Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education, Journal of English for Specific Purposes, System, Studies in Higher Education, Asia-Pacific Education Researcher, and Teaching in Higher Education. Email: [email protected]; Tel.: [phone].