Original Article
Using online discussion forums to support learning of paraphrasing
Kok-Eng Tan,
Corresponding Author
Kok-Eng Tan
Address for correspondence: Dr Kok-Eng Tan, School of Educational Studies, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Penang, Malaysia. Email: [email protected]Search for more papers by this authorKok-Eng Tan,
Corresponding Author
Kok-Eng Tan
Address for correspondence: Dr Kok-Eng Tan, School of Educational Studies, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Penang, Malaysia. Email: [email protected]Search for more papers by this authorAbstract
The online discussion forum (ODF) is one of the many online interactive tools used for educational purposes. This paper discusses a study in a Malaysian university that examined the ODF interactions of students completing an assignment on paraphrasing. A class of 43 English as a Second Language (ESL) students enrolled in a writing course were divided into four forums. Their interactions consisting of 161 posts were collected in the 20-day period of the assignment. Content analysis found the online interactions have all four elements of the analysis framework, namely, cognitive skills, evaluation, social cues and invitational form. Students were found to do their assignment in a self-directed and self-regulated manner within cultural and institutional constraints. The findings have implications for teaching ESL in a university context to tap into the contemporary online literacy practices of the students.
Supporting Information
Additional Supporting Information may be found in the online version of this article at the publisher's web-site:
| Filename | Description |
|---|---|
| bjet12491-sup-0001-suppinfo1.doc139.2 KB | Table S1: Sentences to be paraphrased (adapted from Plakans & Gebril, 2012) Table S2: Coding scheme for Content Analysis Table S3: Distribution of messages according to variables in four forums (n = 43) |
Please note: The publisher is not responsible for the content or functionality of any supporting information supplied by the authors. Any queries (other than missing content) should be directed to the corresponding author for the article.
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