چکیده:
This paper focuses on the impact of an asynchronous online discussion
forum on the development of students‟ ability in and attitudes toward writing
in English. Two groups of third-year students (N = 60) majoring in English
were assigned to two treatment and control groups, each receiving different
types of feedback. Students in the treatment group were required to participate
in an online learning environment and exchange feedback with their peers,
whereas students in the control group received the traditional face-to-face
feedback provided by the teacher. The results of a pre-test, a post-test, and a
survey revealed that students‟ writing in the treatment group significantly
improved, both semantically and syntactically, and they expressed more
positive attitudes toward writing. The findings also indicated that as a result of
engaging in the asynchronous online discussion forum and exchanging
feedback with peers, students exhibited more control over their work,
involved more effectively with the learning tasks, collaborated more with
their classmates, and employed self-assessment strategies to independently
revise or rewrite their work. The implications of the study offer guidelines to
improve and facilitate writing skill in EFL contexts.
خلاصه ماشینی:
"The findings also indicated that as a result of engaging in the asynchronous online discussion forum and exchanging feedback with peers, students exhibited more control over their work, involved more effectively with the learning tasks, collaborated more with their classmates, and employed self-assessment strategies to independently revise or rewrite their work.
For this reason, the study tries to open up a new horizon by creating a forum environment in the Iranian pedagogical system to expose the chief pedagogical organizers and language dealers, such as future researchers, curriculum developers, teachers, and students to the potential areas for teaching writing with the asynchronous online discussion forum in comparison to traditional face-to-face teaching writing.
In a comparison between traditional face-to-face and asynchronous online discussion forum classes, it can be stated that students in traditional face-to-face classrooms are limited and have less interactive opportunities for their developing proficiency in the English language in general, and English writing in particular.
The following research question guided this study: Is there any difference between the impact of asynchronous online discussion forum class and traditional face-to-face class on improving writing ability and attitude of the Iranian EFL students?
1. Participants The purpose of this study was to examine in detail the impact of asynchronous online discussion forum through feedback provision on students‟ writing ability and attitude over a 12-week period in comparison to the dominant traditional face-to-face pedagogical teaching writing in Iran.
Data analysis The study explored the impact of asynchronous online discussion forum on the Iranian EFL students‟ writing development and attitudes in comparison to the dominant traditional face-to-face teaching writing class."