A quasi experimental study on the effect of weblog integrated process approach on efl students writing performance, autonomous learning and perceptions

Abstract

With the recent advances in computer technology and internet, the process oriented writing instruction that is proved to produce positive outcomes on students? writing performance has taken a new trend. Due to such limitations of school setting as time restriction, lack of opportunity for students to reach a real audience or to satisfy their individual learning needs, it has been understood that effective implementation of process approach to writing instruction is not so easy in practice. This understanding has led to the integration of weblogs in writing instruction. With the purpose of exploring the potentials of blogging in process oriented writing instruction, this study investigated the effect of weblog integrated writing instruction on students? writing performance and their level of autonomous learning. Additionally, it examined students? perceptions towards weblog use in their writing courses and sought to determine the correlation of students? perceptions and their level in autonomous learning with their writing performance. 50 EFL intermediate students studying at School of Foreign Languages, Karadeniz Technical University (K.T.U.) participated in the study; the control group (n=23) received in-class process oriented writing instruction and the experimental group (n=27) integrated weblog into their writing processes. The data were collected through students? written products, questionnaires and interviews. The study lasted 16 weeks. The results indicated that weblog integrated writing instruction improved students? writing performance more than just in-class writing instruction. The use of blogs in writing instruction was also helpful for students to develop a sense of autonomous learning. Moreover, students had a favourable perception towards weblog use in their writing courses. However, no significant correlation could be detected between students? perceptions and their improved writing performance. Neither was there a significant relation between students? level of learner autonomy and the improvement in their writing performance.