A Class Blog: Cultivating Students’ Writing Accuracy

within Collaborative and Competitive Atmospheres

Teguh Sulistyo

, Maria Cholifah

and Siane Herawati

English Language Department, Universitas Kanjuruhan Malang

Keywords: Class blog; writing accuracy; collaboration; competition.

Abstract: In reality, writing is considered very complex activities in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classes but

the smallest satisfying subject for teachers and the most discouraging lesson for students. The students often

produce grammatical errors or unnatural expressions. One of the activities to solve the problems the students

encounter in accomplishing a writing task is the implementation of a class blog. As a computer-mediated

platform, the blog allows observable interactions both within and beyond the classroom between students and

teachers and or among students. Thus, the present paper investigated the power of a class blog in cultivating

the students’ writing performance, especially the accuracy of the essays posted in the blog. A number of 30

students majoring in English Department participated in this study. They were treated using a class blog in

one term. The findings suggest that the blog facilitated the students to revise and develop their accuracy in

composing essays. Nevertheless, teachers are strongly suggested to take into account students’ different levels

of technology savvy.

1 INTRODUCTION

In reality, writing is considered very complex

activities in English as a Foreign Language (EFL)

classes but the smallest satisfying subject for teachers

and the most discouraging lesson for students (Xiao,

2008). Dulger (2011) states that improving students’

writing performance is important even though it is a

complicated part of language learning. Commonly,

EFL learners’ writing performance is measured from

three elements: complexity, accuracy, and fluency

(CAF) in the target language (Pourdana and

Behbahani, 2011; Tavakoli and M Rezazadeh, 2014).

This study, however, focuses on the accuracy of EFL

learners’ writing performance since EFL studens

often produce grammatical errors or unnatural

expressions.

Writing encourages students not only to expand

ideas into texts but also to creat readable and

sufficient contents which meet readers’ interest and

needs. In EFL writing activities, students have to

express their ideas in a sufficient content and

organization, and they also pursue hard to produce

precise grammar, vocabulary, and mechanics

(Galbraith, 2009). Traditionally, the teaching-

learning processes of writing in Indonesian contexts

are applied in pen and paper-based activities. These

activties seem to be necessarily minimized by

maximizing the existence of Information and

Communication Technology (ICT) along with the

process witing approach. Process writing approach in

integration with technology-supported learning

writing classes seems to facilitate EFL learners to

build their writing proficiency. Domalewska (2014)

adds that technology supports learners in the learning

process modifying the way learning is delivered, so

learning takes place in context and nowadays this

means technology-rich context. One of the ICTs

which is probably suitable to modify the way learning

is delivered and to motivate students to work harder

in writing classses is Blog-Assisted Language

Learning (BALL).

Lin, Groom, and Lin (2013) explain that BALL

covers any teaching-learning activities involving the

use of blogs as a computer-mediated platform (1)

where interactions both within and beyond the

classroom take place between teachers and students

and or among students, and (2) where language

learning activities are observable. In relation with

writing process approach, Zhang (2009) specifies

BALL as a web-based medium for writing in which

all activities covering the writing and editing of

information is done through a web browser and is

available on the Internet immediately and publically.

Sulistyo, T., Cholifah, M. and Herawati, S.

A Class Blog: Cultivating Students’ Writing Accuracy within Collaborative and Competitive Atmospheres.

DOI: 10.5220/0010020401150120

In Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on English Language Teaching, Linguistics and Literature (ELITE 2019) - Promoting Global Diversity, Partnership and Prosperity through

English Development, pages 115-120

ISBN: 978-989-758-459-6

115

BALL, in relation to teaching-learning process of

writing, is divided into three kinds: tutor blog, learner

blog, and class blog (Zhang, 2009; Lin, Groom and

Lin, 2013; Domalewska, 2014). First, the tutor blog

is run by the teacher in order to give course

information, to provide links for self-study online

materials, to offer extra reading practice. In contrast,

learner blog is run by individual learners or groups of

learners as a form of writing and reading practice.

Finally, class blog provides not only current

information on the course and homework but also

gives the opportunity to develop reading and writing

activities allowing students to communicate and share

ideas with their classmates and teacher. The last kind

of blog is used in the present study in integration with

process writing approach.

In relation to the advantages of BALL in L2

learning, there have been several studies conducted

by different researchers. Anh and Ho (2009) found

that blogging can be a useful constructivist learning

tool to supplement classroom teaching practice. If

well integrated with face-to-face teaching, blogs can

give students a very useful platform to practice their

target language skills and develop learner autonomy.

Meanwhile, another study by Yunus et al. (2012)

proved that ESL learners can be motivated to

improve their writing skills by using blogs. However,

Miyazoe and Anderson (2010) who investigated the

effects of online writing through blogs on students’

learning outcomes and perceptions found that they

have positive perception of blogs, but there are no

significant learning outcomes. In addition, Kashani et

al. (2013) also conducted research by comparing the

effect of blogging and pen-and-paper based modes on

Iranian graduate students’ writing performance. The

findings of the research revealed that blog has no

effect on students’ writing quality, but it motivates

the students to write more enthusiastically due to a

new platform in learning in contrast with traditional

activities in the classrooms.

The findings seem provide different perspectives

about the effects of BALL on students’ writing

performance and motivation in writing. Another fact

proves that students tend to avoid sharing their

products with their classmates as a result of lack of

confidence in their writing skills. To motivate the

students to write more seriously and better, the

students need to post and share their products not

only with their lecturer but also the whole classmates.

In addition, the use of appropriate and challenging

activities should be applied in the writing class. Thus,

it is still considered necessary to conduct further

research on the implementation of BALL to improve

EFL learners’ writing accuracy which is still under

researched.

The objectives of this study then were firstto find

out how the students developed their attitudes during

the class blogged-settings. Second, this study

investigated the effects of class blog on the students’

writing accuracy.

2 RESEARCH METHOD

This study employed a Collaborative Classroom

Action Research intended to improve practice on

students’ learning (Halim, Buang and Meerah, 2010).

Also, action research has constructively assisted

teachers to create in-depth perspectives about

teaching-learning process (Lacorte and Ishihara,

2002). To investigate how the strategy could improve

EFL learners’ writing accuracy, a frame of three

cycles of action research adapted from Lewin

consisting of 16 meetings (2 SKS per meeting) was

applied as the research procedures in the present

study in which 30 students majoring in English

Education Department participated as the

respondents of the study.

In order to collect the qualitative and quantitative

data, the present research employed three

instruments: Field Notes, Open-ended questionnaire

followed by in-depth interview, and writing test. The

implementation of BALL in integration with process

writing approach was applied consisting of pre-

writing, drafting, revising and editing, and

publishing. The recursive steps of writing were

applied in the writing class where the students were

treated using BALL. They wrote essays and got

online feedback from the lecturer and their

classmates, and they shared their final products in the

class blog. Sixteen weeks were allotted for

implementing the action in which each meeting

consisted of two meeting hours (2X50 minutes), but

the students were also obliged to do activities outside

the classroom to accomplish their tasks.

The lecturer, with the help of an ICT person,

provided a class blog at www.teguh-unikama.web.id.

BALL in integration with the process writing

approach was implemented in the writing class, and

a Wordpress blog was chosen for the present study

since Wordpress blogging provided two main

advantages. First, it was not cluttered with

advertisements which possibly distracted students’

focuses in doing writing activities or reading the

contents of the blog. Second, it was very easy for the

students and the lecturer to set up an-email account

and simple password as well as a user name

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combination to log in. Thus, it was only the members

of the blog who posted their products - in the forms

of drafts and final products – and provided online

feedback and comments.

3 FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION

The qualitative and quantitative data collected

from field notes, open-ended questionnaire followed

by an in-depth interview, and writing test were

presented in two sections: the students’ attitudes

towards the class blogged-setting and the effects of

the class blog on students’ writing accuracy.

3.1 Students’ Attitudes towards the

Class-blogged Setting

The data taken from a questionnaire which was

followed by an in-depth interview revealed the

attitudes of the students when joining the class

blogged-setting. There were eight questions but only

two main questions which showed the students’

perceptions leading to the atmospheres of the class

during the intervention of BALL.

The first main question says” What do you feel if

you get feedback from your classmates and lecturer

in the class blog?”. The students in general did not

mind getting feedback from their classmates and

lecturer in the blog. There were 25 students stating

that they were happy to get feedback from their

classmates and the lecturer even though 4 of them felt

nervous. In contrast, 5 students confessed that they

disliked getting feedback via the blog. According to

them, pen-and paper based feedback was easier to

understand. Getting peer and teacher feedback

generates collaboration in the classroom since the

students gave and took the feedback. Boudjadar

(2015) found BALL can stimulate discussion and

provide feedback, so students are encouraged to make

more effort to improve their writings. It seems that

BALL also enables students to compete each other by

trying hard to produce good texts in the blog. This is

in line with Lin et al. (2013) and Zhang (2014) who

found that blog increases students’ motivation and

self- efficacy.

The second main question “What do you feel if

your products are published in the class blog?” In

line with the question, 15 students were happy to

share their products in the blog. Then 9 students felt

motivated to have their products published in the

blog, so they worked harder. In contrast, there were 5

students who were not confident enough to publish

their products in the class blog. Besides, 1 student had

different feelings: happy and unhappy depending on

the quality of his/her product. The students answer

indicating their motivation to share their texts and

work harder revealed the importance of motivation in

L2 learning. The statement of the respondents is in

line with the results of a study by Pinkman (2005)

revealing that BALL stimulates them to use English

due to the interaction with classmates and teacher.

Motivation in L2 acquisition influences the outcomes

of learning. Alizadeh (2016) states that there are three

main keys of motivation: (1) positive attitudes

towards L2 community, (2) the enjoyment of

learning, and (3) external pressures. It stands to logic

if it is predicted that motivation in L2 learning

generates the students to do their best indicating

competitive and collaborative atmospheres in the

classrooms. Foroutan (2013) avows that students

having positive perceptions in applying blog foster

themselves to build self-regulation and autonomous

learning in the target language. In addition, Boudjadar

(2015) found that blog encourages students to work

hard as indicated by their hard efforts to improve their

writing quality. It can be concluded that collaborative

and competitive atmospheres motivate the students to

work harder to maximize their learning outcomes.

3.2 Students’ Writing Accuracy

To determine whether BALL could improve EFL

learners’ writing performance in terms of accuracy

the implementation of BALL was applied in a

Collaborative Classroom Action Research in one

semester consisting of 16 meetings. The first score

(preentry behavior) taken in the second meeting was

then compared with the final score (post-test) to

investigate whether there was a significant progress

of the students’ writing accuracy after the students

were treated using BALL in the Advanced Academic

Writing Course.

Table 1 was the result of the statistical

computation using Paired Sample t-Test based on the

students’ writing performance in terms of accuracy.

As Table 1 indicates, it seems that the students

made a low improvement after they were treated

using BALL. The Accuracy of the students’ writing

A Class Blog: Cultivating Students’ Writing Accuracy within Collaborative and Competitive Atmospheres

117

performance increased from 13.57 to 14.53 (the

scores range 0 – 20) or 7.07%.

Somehow, the result of the statistical computation

of Paired Sample t-Test Thus, it was concluded that

the students’ writing performance dealing with

accuracy significantly improve before and after the

implementation of BALL demonstrated that there

was a statistically significant difference between the

students’ writing accuracy scores before and after the

implementation of BALL since the level of

significance obtained was 0.000 which was lower

than 0.005.

Accuracy in L2 written production is commonly

measured by evaluating the proportion of error free T

– units to all T – units. Housen, Kuiken, and Vedder

(2012) define accuracy as the writer’s ability to

produce target-like and error-free language. In this

study, accuracy is indicated by the mastery of EFL

learners to use grammar, vocabulary, and mechanics

appropriately in their essays.

The findings proved that BALL is able to increase

students’ writing accuracy from 13.57 to 14.53 (the

scores range from 0 – 20). The findings are in line

with those conducted by Aydin (2014) which

revealed that blogs are effective for increasing

rhetorical strategies and accuracy of the students’

written products. It can be found, for instance, a

student (IASD) reduced her grammatical errors in

which in her essay before the implementation

consisted of 19 errors, but after the implementation

she just made 6 grammatical errors. Also, Ebrecht

and Yuku (2015) investigating the roles of BALL on

the students’ writing quality also found that by using

BALL, it is easier to edit the students’ texts because

it allows them to identify and correct grammar and

spelling mistakes easily. Then Alsubaie and Madini

(2018) proved that ICT integration in the teaching

process support four main aspects in learning: group

participation, regular interaction and feedback,

connection to the real-world expertise, and active

engagement. Accordingly, BALL plays a medium in

improving students’ writing ability, particularly

accuracy and vocabulary.

In addition, Akda and Menemencio (2017) also

conducted an exploratory case study by interviewing

and observing the participants of the study. The

results of their study explained that blog is an

important tool for the students to increase their

writing skills, especially vocabulary enhancement

and syntactic accuracy. These findings are in

accordance with the results of Arslan's study (2014)

which proved that practice of blogging improve

students’ writing performance dealing with content,

organization, and accuracy after implementing BALL

in two academic years (28 weeks) for tertiary level.

The findings above seem inspire writers to have

better performance in their written production since

BALL promotes collaborative and competitive

learning where the students share and give feedback

in online settings. This implies that students are

encouraged to collaborate more through sharing ideas

in which the students become more active indicating

obvious readiness, eagerness, and satisfaction

(Abidin, Mohammadi and Hamid, 2011). Besides,

students perceive advantages of using blogs included

increase motivation to use better English because of

interaction with their classmates and teacher as well

feedback from both (Pinkman, 2005).

Rahmany (2013) investigating the roles of BALL

on students’ vocabulary enhancement and structural

accuracy in an EFL setting with 40 students aged

between 20 to 35 years old demonstrated that Blogs

Table 1: The Statistical Computation Using Paired Sample t-Test on Accuracy Paired Samples Statistics

Mean N Std. Deviation Std. Error Mean

air 1

reentr

13.5667 30 1.65432 .30204

Post 14.5333 30 1.31263 .23965

Table 2. Paired Samples Test

Paired Differences

Sig.

(

2-tailed

)

ean

d. Deviation

Std. Error

Mean

95% Confidence

Interval of the

Difference

Lowe

Upp

Pair 1

Preentry-

ost

96667

.23828

2608 1.42905 50429 4.276 29 .000

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help the students to minimize the amount of

capitalization errors as well as grammar errors. In

other words, the students improved their accuracy

dealing with mechanics and grammar. When using

ICT in writing, the students could make use of their

computer in checking their grammatical errors and

mechanics. Besides, the feedback given by the

teacher and peers in the blog helped the students

enhance their accuracy in writing.

4 CONCLUSION

Blog-Assisted Language Learning empowered

students to write harder by implementing

collaborative and competitive activities in the

classroom. Collaboration and competition were

reflected from the students’ activities in posting and

sharing their texts in the blog as well as giving and

taking online feedback from their classmates and

teacher. Thus, they finally could improve their

writing accuracy. The improvement of their

accuracy was the results of online feedback given

in the blog and the use of ICT in writing itself since

the students also maximized their computer to

check the grammar, vocabulary, and mechanics of

their texts.

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