--

13 (1) 2023

Applying online peer feedback via a peer review application in English academic writing


Author - Affiliation:
Nguyen Ngoc Ly - Ho Chi Minh City Open University, Ho Chi Minh City , Vietnam
Corresponding author: Nguyen Ngoc Ly - ly.nn@ou.edu.vn
Submitted: 16-05-2022
Accepted: 28-02-2023
Published: 20-06-2023

Abstract
Writing in English is widely regarded as a challenging skill since most students have found many problems somewhat occupying teachers’ time to help them overcome. Peer feedback, where students analyze and suggest revisions to each other’s work (Sukumaran & Dass, 2014), is a worthwhile alternative to teacher-based feedback, and its benefits in academic writing have been thoroughly examined. With great convenience, Google Classroom Peer Review (GCPR) recently began to capture teachers’ attention as an innovative online peer feedback tool. This study conducted a quasi-experiment to determine the impact of online peer feedback (OPFB) via GCPR on 32 first-year students and their attitudes toward online peer feedback. Three writing exercises as well as a questionnaire were used to gather the information. The findings show that the experimental group significantly improved their vocabulary and grammar usage in writing compared to the 32 students in the control group. The experimental group expressed their positive opinions of OPFB, regarding free selection and assigned-pair feedback. Additionally, the difficulties and recommendations that the study’s participants gave have greatly enhanced the use of OPFB. The research is eager to offer valuable recommendations for enhancing learners’ academic writing proficiency in further studies because of its practical efficacy.

Keywords
attitude; Google Classroom Peer Review (GCPR); online peer feedback (OPFB); peer feedback (PFB)

Full Text:
PDF

Cite this paper as:

Nguyen, L. N. (2023). Applying online peer feedback via a peer review application in English academic writing. Ho Chi Minh City Open University Journal of Science – Social Sciences, 13(1), 89-105. doi:10.46223/HCMCOUJS.soci.en.13.1.2300.2023


References

Al-Badi, I. A. (2015). Academic writing difficulties of ESL learners. In The 2015 WEI International Academic Conference Proceedings, 1(1), 65-78.


Al-Fadda, H. (2012). Difficulties in academic writing: From the perspective of King Saud University postgraduate students. English Language Teaching, 5(3), 123-130.


Ballantyne, R., Hughes, K., & Mylonas, A. (2002). Developing procedures for implementing peer assessment in large classes using an action research process. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 27(5), 427-441.


Bauer, C., Figl, K., Derntl, M., Beran, P. P., & Kabicher, S. (2009, July). The student view on online peer reviews. In Proceedings of the 14th annual ACM SIGCSE conference on Innovation and technology in computer science education (pp. 26-30). New York, NY: Association for Computing Machinery.


Choi, J. (2014). Online peer discourse in a writing classroom. International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 26(2), 217-231.


Fraenkel, J. R., & Wallen, N. E. (2009). How to design and evaluate research in education. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.


Guiller, J., Durndell, A., & Ross, A. (2008). Peer interaction and critical thinking: Face-to-face or online discussion? Learning and Instruction, 18(2), 187-200.


Hansen, J. G., & Liu, J. (2005). Guiding principles for effective peer response. ELT Journal, 59(1), 31-38.


Huisman, B., Saab, N., Van Driel, J., & Van Den Broek, P. (2018). Peer feedback on academic writing: Undergraduate students’ peer feedback role, peer feedback perceptions and essay performance. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 43(6), 955-968.


Latifi, S., Noroozi, O., Hatami, J., & Biemans, H. J. (2021). How does online peer feedback improve argumentative essay writing and learning? Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 58(2), 195-206.


Li, M., & Li, J. (2017). Online peer review using Turnitin in first-year writing classes. Computers and Composition, 46(3), 21-38. doi:10.1016/j.compcom.2017.09.001


Liang, M. Y. (2010). Using synchronous online peer response groups in EFL writing: Revision-related discourse. Language Learning & Technology, 14(1), 45-64.


Liu, J., & Edwards, J. G. H. (2018). Peer response in second language writing classrooms. Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press.


Milton, J. (2004). From parrots to puppet masters: Fostering creative and authentic language use with online tools. In B. S. Holmberg (Ed.), Distance education and languages: Evolution and change. Clevedon, UK: Multilingual Matters.


Moradi, M. R., & Karimpour, Z. (2012). The effect of online peer feedback on the academic writing ability of Iranian EFL learners. International Education Studies, 5(2), 113-117.


Muijs, D. (2004). Doing quantitative research in education with SPSS. London, UK: Sage Publications.


Norman, D. A., & Spohrer, J. C. (1996). Learner-centered education. Communications of the ACM, 39(4), 24-27.


Noroozi, O., & Hatami, J. (2019). The effects of online peer feedback and epistemic beliefs on students’ argumentation-based learning. Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 56(5), 548-557.


Pallant, J. (2007). SPSS Survival manual a step by step guide to data analysis using SPSS for Windows (3rd ed.). Maidenhead, UK: Open University Press.


Pham, H. V. P., & Nguyen, A. T. H. (2021, March). A study of facebook-based peer comments on L2 writing. The 17th international conference of the Asia Association of Computer-assisted Language Learning (AsiaCALL 2021), 533(14), 114-120.


Pham, H. V. P., & Nguyen, D. T. T. (2014). The effectiveness of peer feedback on graduate academic writing at Ho Chi Minh City Open University. Ho Chi Minh City Open University Journal of Science-Social Sciences, 4(1), 11-24.


Pham, T. N., Lin, M., Vu, T. Q., & Bui, L. T. P. (2020). Electronic peer feedback, EFL academic writing and reflective thinking: Evidence from a Confucian context. Sage Open, 10(1), 1-20.


Shang, H. F. (2022). Exploring online peer feedback and automated corrective feedback on EFL writing performance. Interactive Learning Environments, 30(1), 4-16.


Singh, M. K. M., & Kaur, M. (2016). An emic perspective on academic writing difficulties among international graduate students in Malaysia. GEMA Online® Journal of Language Studies, 16(3), 83-97.


Snow, A. (2015). The many challenges of academic writing for ESL. In M. F. Gramer (Ed.), Q:skills for Success Reading and Writing 3. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.


Sukumaran, K., & Dass, R. (2014). Students’ perspectives on the use of peer feedback in an English as a second language writing class. Journal for Interdisciplinary Research in Education (JIRE), 4(1), 1-14.


Trautmann, N. M., Carlsen, W. G., Eick, C. J., Gardner, F. E., Jr., Kenyon, L., Moscovici, H., ... West, S. (2003, May). Online peer review learning science as it’s practiced. Journal of College Science Teaching, 32(7), 443-447.


Wahyudin, A. Y. (2018). The impact of online peer feedback on EFL students writing at a tertiary level. BAHTERA: Journal Pendidikan Bahasa Dan Sastra, 17(1), 1-10.


Yakhontova, T. V. (2003). English academic writing for students and researchers. Retrieved April 10, 2022, from https://jetiq.vntu.edu.ua/fm/fdb/1080/Yakhontova_textbook.pdf


Yu, S. (2021). Giving genre-based peer feedback in academic writing: Sources of knowledge
and skills, difficulties and challenges. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 46(1), 36-53.


Yudi-Wahyudin, A. (2018). The impact of online peer feedback on EFL students writing at tertiary level. BAHTERA: Jurnal Pendidikan Bahasa Dan Sastra, 17(1), 1-10. doi:10.21009/BAHTERA.171.1


Yusof, J., Ab Manan, N. A., & Alias, A. A. (2012). Guided peer feedback on academic writing tasks using Facebook notes: An exploratory study. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences67, 216-228.



Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.