poster in pdf - Universiteit Utrecht

Universiteit Utrecht
IVLOS
Collaborative learning in a virtual writing environment
Rick de Graaff, Kristi Jauregi and Dorien Nieuwenhuijsen
Centre for ICT in Education & Faculty of Humanities, Utrecht University, The Netherlands
r.degraaff@ivlos.uu.nl
Introduction
The writing of academic texts is essential in the foreign languages curriculum at the University of
Utrecht. In the Spanish curriculum it was experienced in previous years that students working on
their own did not approach writing as a complex process of planning, structuring, revising,
rewriting, replanning, etc. They delivered their first draft as if it were a final version.
If writers are stimulated to work together, they have to constantly negotiate the purpose of their
writing and the process. They have to make the writing strategies explicit they otherwise use
implicitly, which promotes learning.
Collaborating in written tasks implicates the exchange of lots of different document versions,
attached feedback, revisions etc., within student groups and between students and teachers.
Logistically, ICT tools of any kind can support and structure this group work process. However,
fine-tuned groupware facilities might be necessary for document exchange and management to
take place efficiently and effectively.
Pilot experiment
Según propuestas constructivistas, aquellas tareas que promueven la cooperación entre
estudiantes son idóneas para estimular el aprendizaje en todas sus dimensiones. El
Departamento de Español de la Universidad de Utrecht ha experimentado con estas
formas de trabajo en un curso de español como lengua extranjera, en el que los
estudiantes colaboraban en el proceso de escritura de textos académicos en un entorno
virtual. Las tareas respondían a las diferentes secciones de una revista electrónica para
estudiantes de Hispánicas: Matutino. Los estudiantes utilizaron Word en el proceso de
redacción y corrección, y el correo electrónico para intercambiar los textos.
Este experimento fue evaluado al finalizar el curso. Los resultados muestran una
valoración positiva del estudiante con respecto a las tareas que promueven la
cooperación entre estudiantes, así como al entorno digital utilizado en el experimento.
Las profesoras, sin embargo, se mostraron más críticas con respecto a la limitación que
suponía el uso del correo electrónico para el intercambio de textos. En este sentido, en
la Universidad de Utrecht se está trabajando en la elaboración de un entorno virtual,
Concourse, que promueve la colaboración de estudiantes en el proceso de escritura.
Evaluation results
In this study, a group of 20 2nd year students of Spanish worked collaboratively in a virtual
learning environment that supported regular class meetings. Student pairs completed twoweekly writing tasks. Tasks were created around the concept of a virtual journal for philology
students, which served as a coherent framework for writing texts. After having elected the
tasks student pairs engaged in the following procedure:
1.
they wrote their first draft and sent it for comments to another student pair;
2.
the student pair provided feedback on content, structure and form according to a
checklist;
Spa nish
writing
course
tra nsla te d a nd a bbre via te d que stionna ire
N =1 8
M (max. = 5.00)
1.
collaborative writing tasks useful
3 .8 8
2.
task implementation in the course schedule attainable
3 .6 1
based on these comments, the authors wrote their second version and sent it to
the teacher for assessment;
3.
online publication of the final products motivating
2 .8 8
4.
the authors reviewed their second version and wrote the final one, based on the
teacher’s feedback;
4.
feedback meetings valuable
2 .8 6
5.
regular ICT tools satisfactory for collaboration
4 .0 6
5.
they filled in a reflection form in which they indicated how they had collaborated on
the writing task;
6.
amount of received peer feedback satisfactory
3 .1 6
7.
amount of received teacher feedback satisfactory
3 .7 3
the final version was published in the on-line journal Matutino
8.
writing collaboratively in pairs valuable
3 .8 1
9.
receiving peer feedback instructive
3 .7 1
10.
providing peer feedback useful for own learning
4 .1 2
11.
collaborative writing more efficient than individual
2 .9 4
12.
collaborative writing better result than individual
3 .5 0
3.
6.
Students had deadlines for achievement of each task. In the first experimental year, students
and teachers used regular E-mail, mailing lists and word processing tools for document
exchange and peer feedback.
Discussion
Las reacciones a la muerte de Pim Fortuyn
en la prensa internacional
El asesinato de Fortuyn, el político holandés, ha generado reacciones extremas en el
extranjero. Casi todos los periódicos influyentes de Europa han tratado la cuestión de
Fortuyn en primera plana con titulares llamativos. La atención internacional por este
asesinato parece proceder de la creciente preocupación por la radicalización política,
que está aumentando en Europa.
Lo que llama la atención es que a muchos periódicos les cuesta caracterizar a Pim
Fortuyn de una manera adecuada. La mayoría le tipifica como un homosexual
xenófobo que detesta a los musulmanes. Según algunos, Fortuyn era el enemigo del
Islam. Todos los diarios le consideran como un político populista de la extrema
derecha; sin embargo, admiten que Fortuyn no quería ser relacionado con Le Pen o
Haider.
Los medios de comunicación coinciden en que el asunto tiene un significado
profundo, tanto para Holanda como para Europa. Le Monde dice en su página web
que el asesinato ha causado una conmoción inmensa. También ha enfadado y
preocupado a sus partidarios políticos, la muerte de Pim Fortuyn, mientras que entre
los ciudadanos existe un clima de incredulidad y odio.
Hasta ahora el asesino se ha negado a prestar declaración sobre el móvil del
asesinato. Lo que hacen los medios de comunicación es conjeturar sobre lo que le ha
movido a hacerlo.
El Herald Tribune busca la causa del asesinato en que Fortuyn llamaba demasiado la
atención por su estilo de vida y por plantear el tema del multiculturalismo y de la
tradición política, en un país caracterizado por su sosiego. Como ejemplo el Herald
menciona la observación de Pim Fortuyn de que Holanda está "lleno", y su consejo a
los drogadictos de que continúen drogándose y de que tomen una sobredosis.
The students benefited from the intensive writing tasks and from the peer feedback
system. Interestingly, in their view collaborative writing was less efficient than
performing individual writing tasks. It should be emphasized, however, that “less
efficient” from the students’ point of view does not imply “less effective” or “less useful”
from a learning point of view.
ICT support was felt to be necessary and usable for the exchange of draft texts and
feedback, especially as many students did not visit the university on a daily basis.
Although students found it easy to work with regular E-mail and word processing tools
for document exchange with peers and teachers, the teachers themselves were less
positive about this procedure. A more specific ICT environment for guiding and
assessing collaborative writing is necessary to be implemented for this writing course.
Further developments
The department is now experimenting with an online environment specifically
developed for collaborative writing and online publication. It was decided not to use
regular virtual learning environments such as Blackboard or WebCT, as these do not
provide specific support for peer feedback
The collaborative writing environment, Concourse (www.concourse.nl), is an objectoriented groupware program that enhances learner autonomy in writing, providing peer
feedback and publishing. After peer feedback, revision, and assessment, texts are
automatically published in the online journal, to be read by other students and teachers.
Enlace útil:
www.lemonde.fr, 6-5-2002, Le candidat de l´extrême droite néerlandaise a été abattu
Conclusion
Working collaboratively on academic writing tasks was both attainable and valuable,
according to teachers and students. Peer feedback played an important role in the
learning process; students’ motivation and final achievements were high.
ICT was a necessary tool for supporting the peer feedback system and the teachers’
document management. Especially for the teachers regular E-mail facilities were
insufficient for efficient document handling. A virtual writing environment should facilitate
both collaborative group work and teachers’ process and document management.
Evaluation procedure
Evaluations were carried out by means of questionnaires filled out by the students at the end of
the course period. 18 students completed the questionnaires. The evaluation covered the
organization of the group work, the usefulness of collaborative writing tasks, the usefulness of
peer feedback and the satisfaction with the software used for collaborative learning. The
questionnaires contained five-point scale answer options and space for further remarks.
Acknowledgements
This project is financially supported by SURF, the Dutch Foundation for stimulation of ICT within Higher
Education. We acknowledge the participation of all students of the pilot course at Utrecht University.