scholarly journals Voluntary use of automated writing evaluation by content course students

ReCALL ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
Aysel Saricaoglu ◽  
Zeynep Bilki
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Academic Writing ◽  
Statistical Tests ◽  
Descriptive Statistics ◽  
Learning Tool ◽  
Writing Classes ◽  
Writing Evaluation ◽  
Automated Writing Evaluation ◽  
Automated Feedback

Abstract Automated writing evaluation (AWE) technologies are common supplementary tools for helping students improve their language accuracy using automated feedback. In most existing studies, AWE has been implemented as a class activity or an assignment requirement in English or academic writing classes. The potential of AWE as a voluntary language learning tool is unknown. This study reports on the voluntary use of Criterion by English as a foreign language students in two content courses for two assignments. We investigated (a) to what extent students used Criterion and (b) to what extent their revisions based on automated feedback increased the accuracy of their writing from the first submitted draft to the last in both assignments. We analyzed students’ performance summary reports from Criterion using descriptive statistics and non-parametric statistical tests. The findings showed that not all students used Criterion or resubmitted a revised draft. However, the findings also showed that engagement with automated feedback significantly reduced users’ errors from the first draft to the last in 11 error categories in total for the two assignments.

scholarly journals Online Open-Source Writing Aid as a Pedagogical Tool

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 126
Author(s):  
Beata Lewis Sevcikova
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Open Source ◽  
Academic Writing ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
College Level ◽  
Writing Evaluation ◽  
Automated Writing Evaluation ◽  
Online Tools ◽  
Teachers And Students ◽  
Automated Feedback

The present research offers an assessment of the online open source tools used in the L2 academic writing, teaching, and learning environment. As fairly little research has been conducted on how to best use online automated proofreaders for educational purposes, the objective of this study is to examine the potential of such online tools. Unlike most studies focusing on Automated Writing Evaluation (AWE), this research concentrates only on the online, open-source writing aide, grammar, spelling and writing style improvement tools available either for free or as paid versions. The accessibility and ability to check language mistakes in academic writings such as college-level essays in real time motivates both, teachers and students. The findings of this empirical-based study indicate that despite some bias, computerized feedback facilitates language learning, assists in improving the quality of writing, and increases student confidence and motivation. The current study can help with the understanding of students’ needs in writing, as well as in their perception of automated feedback.

scholarly journals The Impact of Using Automated Writing Feedback in ESL/EFL Classroom Contexts

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (12) ◽  
pp. 189
Author(s):  
Ameni Benali
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Feedback Systems ◽  
Technology In The Classroom ◽  
Writing Evaluation ◽  
Constructive Feedback ◽  
Automated Writing Evaluation ◽  
Writing Feedback ◽  
Automated Feedback ◽  
Essay Quality ◽  
The Impact

It is undeniable that attempts to develop automated feedback systems that support and enhance language learning and assessment have increased in the last few years. The growing demand for using technology in the classroom and the promotions provided by automated- written-feedback program developers and designers, drive many educational institutions to acquire and use these tools for educational purposes (Chen & Cheng, 2008). It remains debatable, however, whether students’ use of these tools leads to improvement in their essay quality or writing outcomes. In this paper I investigate the affordances and shortcomings of automated writing evaluation (AWE) on students’ writing in ESL/EFL contexts. My discussion shows that AWE can improve the quality of writing and learning outcomes if it is integrated with and supported by human feedback. I provide recommendations for further research into improving AWE tools to give more effective and constructive feedback.

Research on language teaching and learning in Austria (2004–2009)

2011 ◽  
Vol 44 (2) ◽  
pp. 181-211 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christiane Dalton-Puffer ◽  
Renate Faistauer ◽  
Eva Vetter
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Academic Writing ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Theory Development ◽  
Language Instruction ◽  
Foreign Language Instruction ◽  
Theoretical Frameworks ◽  
National Education ◽  
Learning And Teaching

This overview of six years of research on language learning and teaching in Austria covers a period of dynamic development in the field. While all the studies reviewed here illustrate research driven by a combination of local and global concerns and theoretical frameworks, some specific clusters of research interest emerge. The first of these focuses on issues connected with multilingualism in present-day society in terms of language policy, theory development and, importantly, the critical scrutiny of dominant discursive practices in connection with minority and migrant languages. In combination with this focus, there is a concern with German as a second or foreign language in a number of contexts. A second cluster concerns the area of language testing and assessment, which has gained political import due to changes in national education policy and the introduction of standardized tests. Finally, a third cluster of research concerns the diverse types of specialized language instruction, including the introduction of foreign language instruction from age six onwards, the rise of academic writing instruction, English-medium education and, as a final more general issue, the role of English as a dominant language in the canon of all foreign and second languages in Austria.

scholarly journals College Students' Perceptions of an Automated Writing Evaluation as a Supplementary Feedback Tool in a Writing Class

2021 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 41
Author(s):  
Meilisa Sindy Astika Ariyanto ◽  
Nur Mukminatien ◽  
Sintha Tresnadewi
Keyword(s):  
Structured Interview ◽  
Writing Achievement ◽  
Writing Classes ◽  
Efl Writing ◽  
Writing Evaluation ◽  
Automated Writing Evaluation ◽  
Class Time ◽  
Self Confidence ◽  
Writing Class ◽  
Different Levels

Automated Writing Evaluation (AWE) programs have emerged as the latest trend in EFL writing classes. AWE programs act as a supplementary to teacher feedback and offer automated suggestions and corrections to students' linguistic errors such as grammar, vocabulary, or mechanics. As there is a need for better recognition of different AWE brands utilized for different levels of students, this research sheds light on identifying six university students’ views of an AWE program, namely ProWritingAid (PWA). The six students are categorized as having high or low writing achievement. This descriptive study delineates the students’ perceptions qualitatively. A semi-structured interview was used to collect the data. The findings suggest the students’ positive views of PWA because it could make class time more effective; it had useful feedback on grammar, vocabulary choices, and mechanics; and it built students‘ self-confidence over their compositions. In addition, for different reasons, the students engaged differently with PWA to enhance their drafts, e.g. using PWA only for the first drafts or for the first and final drafts. Finally, despite of the students’ constructive views on PWA, there was a risk that students only engaged superficially with the program by hitting the correction directly.

scholarly journals EFL Students’ Writing Strategies in Saudi Arabian ESP Writing Classes: Perspectives on Learning Strategies in Self-access Language Learning

2012 ◽  
pp. 407-422 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad Alnufaie ◽  
Michael Grenfell
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Learning Strategies ◽  
Writing Strategies ◽  
Writing Classes ◽  
Student Writers ◽  
Efl Students ◽  
Second Year ◽  
Process Oriented ◽  
Almost All

This study was part of a PhD research to explore the writing strategies of 121 second-year undergraduate Saudi student writers who are studying English as a foreign language and for specific purposes in one of the Saudi industrial colleges: Jubail Industrial College (JIC). The writing strategies under investigation had been classified into two categories (process-oriented writing strategies and product-oriented writing strategies) based on their instructional philosophies. A strategy questionnaire was designed to collect data. Although JIC writing classes were assumed to be product-oriented as reported by the majority of the participants’ description of their teachers’ writing approach, the results showed that almost all of the participants (95.9%) were mixing the two kinds of strategies. More surprisingly, the top five writing strategies used by the participants were process-oriented.

The impact of automated feedback on L2 learners’ written causal explanations

ReCALL ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 189-203 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aysel Saricaoglu
Keyword(s):  
Academic Writing ◽  
Evaluation System ◽  
Rank Test ◽  
Causal Explanations ◽  
Writing Evaluation ◽  
Cause And Effect ◽  
Specific Feedback ◽  
Signed Rank Test ◽  
Automated Feedback ◽  
The Impact

AbstractEven though current technologies allow for automated feedback, evaluating content and generating discourse-specific feedback is still a challenge for automated systems, which explains the gap in research investigating the effect of such feedback. This study explores the impact of automated formative feedback on the improvement of English as a second language (ESL) learners’ written causal explanations within two cause-and-effect essays and across pre- and post-tests. Pre- and post-test drafts, feedback reports for first and revised drafts from the automated writing evaluation system, and screen-capturing videos collected from 31 students enrolled in two sections of an advanced-low-level academic writing class were analyzed through descriptive statistics and the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Findings revealed statistically significant changes in learners’ causal explanations within one cause-and-effect essay while no significant improvement was observed across pre- and post-tests. The findings of this study offer not only insights into how to further improve automated discourse-specific feedback but also pedagogical implications for better learning outcomes.

scholarly journals SUBTITLING DOCUMENTARIES: A LEARNING TOOL FOR ENHANCING SCIENTIFIC TRANSLATION SKILLS

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. 445-478
Author(s):  
María del Mar Ogea Pozo
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Learning Tool ◽  
Audiovisual Media ◽  
Technical Translation ◽  
Semiotic Systems ◽  
Three Stages ◽  
Audiovisual Translation ◽  
The University

This paper examines the use of subtitles as a learning tool for developing skills required for scientific translation, in the framework of the course "Scientific and Technical Translation" included in the Translation and Interpreting Studies degree at the University of Cordoba. For that purpose, in the present study we aim to discuss and describe the benefits provided by this modality of audiovisual translation by presenting an overview of the previous studies focused on the effectiveness of subtitling in foreign language (FL) learning. However, we intend to go deeper and propose the integration of subtitling not only in translation studies curriculum, but more specifically, in a scientific translation course. Furthermore, the documentary genre is postulated as an optimal audiovisual media to be used for FL specialised language learning. The subtitling activity consisted of three stages: viewing of an informational documentary short movie with original English subtitles, documentation, and translation into Spanish. In order to confirm whether this subtitling practice raises students' motivation and, as a result, brings positive learning results, this study is based on the responses obtained in a questionnaire completed by the participants in the experiment. The main questions are related to the role of multiple semiotic systems as a support for textual comprehension and learning, and the acquisition of specialised terminology, as well as the students' motivation towards a simulation of a professional translation assignment. Keywords: Audiovisual translation, Scientific translation, Documentary genre, Subtitling, FL language

scholarly journals Chatbots for Action-Oriented Language Learning Using Elbot to Enhance Conflict-Solving Skills in Learners of German as a Foreign Language

EL LE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesca Mazzilli
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Data Analysis ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Formal Context ◽  
Learning Tool ◽  
Mixed Methods Approach ◽  
Task Oriented

The aim of this study is to investigate (i) how learners perceive the non-educational chatbot Elbot as a language learning tool in a formal context (university German course), and (ii) to what extent a set of task-oriented interactions with Elbot influences the learners’ behaviour (e.g. lexical choices) during a separate activity. For these purposes, this study outlines a lesson/experiment focused on the enhancement of conflict-solving skills in German as a foreign language. A mixed-methods approach was applied to evaluate Elbot’s contribution to the lesson as well as its impact on the learners’ choice of basic strategies to solve a conflict. The study concludes with the discussion of the advantages of developing an edu-bot based on an existing non-educational chatbot. In this regard, the research also provides some concrete proposals based on the results of the data analysis.

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