An exploration of asynchronous and synchronous feedback modes in EFL writing

In the English as a foreign language (EFL) writing context, most of the research studies on the feedback process are conducted in a face-to-face context and few research studies have been conducted to investigate what actually happens in online feedback conditions. Thus, this study aimed to compare...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of computing in higher education 2017-12, Vol.29 (3), p.496-513
Main Author: Shang, Hui-Fang
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Asynchronous Communication
College Second Language Programs
College Students
Colleges & universities
Context
Distance learning
Education
Educational Technology
Electronic Learning
English (Second Language)
English as a second language
English as a second language learning
Error Correction
Feedback
Feedback (Response)
Foreign languages
Higher Education
Intermode Differences
Interviews
Learning and Instruction
Peer Evaluation
Preferences
Second language writing
Sentences
Student Experience
Student Satisfaction
Student writing
Students
Synchronous Communication
Syntactic complexity
Syntax
Writing Improvement
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Summary:In the English as a foreign language (EFL) writing context, most of the research studies on the feedback process are conducted in a face-to-face context and few research studies have been conducted to investigate what actually happens in online feedback conditions. Thus, this study aimed to compare 44 EFL university students’ experience of employing asynchronous peer feedback (APF) and synchronous corrective feedback (SCF) and whether the utilization of these two modes affected EFL students’ writing on the aspect of syntactic complexity. The major findings suggested that most participants accepted this e-learning revision approach and received satisfactory results via using APF and SCF modes. The feedback that occurred in APF was potentially more usable than that in SCF in writing more sentences. It is assumed that as students added more words, they increased their writing scores after using APF. Although learners generally accepted both online feedback modes, the interview results revealed some of the reasons for learners’ preference for the APF over the SCF mode. Finally, the implications of these findings for future research are discussed and presented.
ISSN:1042-1726
1867-1233
DOI:10.1007/s12528-017-9154-0