Foreign language learning through collaborative writing in knowledge building forums

ABSTRACT

Knowledge building occurs when students work together and participate in idea-centred discussions where they share information and create knowledge collectively. This research explores whether knowledge building in knowledge forums using English as the lingua franca can facilitate in foreign language learning. An analysis was done on how Catalan students in secondary schools worked together on collaborative writing tasks in such forums using appropriate scaffolding to organize their thoughts and facilitate the discussion. The students were participating in the Knowledge Building International Project (KBIP), which is based on the concept that students can learn while working together in computer-assisted learning environments. This study applied methods using data triangulation and method triangulation where the students were observed throughout the knowledge building process, and both qualitative and quantitative data were collected and analysed for evidence of foreign language learning. The quantitative data was collected through a pre-test and a post-test, while the qualitative data was collected through observation and a digital questionnaire. The results show an increase overall in the performance of the foreign language. In particular, the analysis determined that the comprehension of the subject matter and writing abilities in the L2 showed an increase at high confidence levels.

KEYWORDS:

• Collaborative writing
• computer-assisted language learning
• online language learning
• knowledge building
• computer mediated communication

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Marni Manegre

Marni Manegre is a Lecturer in the Department of English and German Studies and a doctoral candidate in the Department of Pedagogy, Education and Technology, Computer Assisted Language Learning at the Universitat Rovira I Virgili, Tarragona, Spain. She completed both her Master of Science and Bachelor of Arts in Linguistics at the University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada. She has previous research experience with the Linguistics Department and Psychology Department of the University of Alberta and with the Psychology Department of Athabasca University.

Mar Gutiérrez-Colón

Dr. Mar Gutiérrez-Colón is Associate Professor in the Department of English and German Studies at the University Rovira i Virgili, Tarragona, Spain. She holds a PhD in Second Language Acquisition and has led research projects on the use of Information and Communications Technologies in language acquisition and distance learning (computer- and mobile-assisted language learning).