Abstract:

This exploratory study investigated the perceptions of 31 part-time adult learners who participated in an online collaborative writing experience. Situated in the context of a blended learning environment of an advanced English learning course, this study looked into learners’ perceptions with respect to the benefits of collaborative writing using Wiki in five aspects: motivation, group interaction, knowledge sharing, confidence in writing, and improvement in language skills. The relationships between each of these five aspects and learners’ participation in Wiki were also investigated. An online questionnaire was used to obtain feedback from respondents. The findings showed that, in general, learners positively perceived Wiki as beneficial for online collaborative writing in all areas measured. The results also indicated a positive relationship between learners’ contributions in Wiki and their perceptions regarding the benefits of online collaborative writing in terms of motivation, confidence in writing, and improvement in language skills. However, there was no significant relationship between learners’ contributions in Wiki and their perception regarding the benefits of online collaborative writing in terms of group interaction and knowledge sharing. Implications of the findings on adult learning were also discussed.

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