ERIC Number: EJ1380519
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2023
Pages: 22
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-2191-611X
EISSN: EISSN-2191-6128
Available Date: N/A
Using Google Docs for Guided Academic Writing Assessments: Students' Perspectives
Screti, Francesco
Language Learning in Higher Education, v13 n1 p153-174 2023
This paper studies undergraduate students' perceptions about using Google Docs® for guided writing of the final assessment in an Academic Writing course at a Higher Education level. Qualitative data have been collected through a Moodle survey and analysed employing Thematic Analysis. The aim is to see if students' perceptions matched with their teacher's aims, which were to reduce assessment anxiety toward a new and complex writing assignment such as a Literature Review; help working more effectively and reduce procrastination; and possibly enhance success rate. Results show that overall, students liked the technical features (autosaving, accessibility), the guidelines and examples contained in the template shared, and the role of the teacher as controller and provider of feedback and feedforward. Yet some few divergences between the teacher's aim and students' perceptions emerged: some students did not like working on-line, expressed preference for Microsoft Word®, found the procedure time-consuming or constraining, or even too easy. Most importantly, some students felt stressed about being watched. Therefore, if teachers want to adopt the same procedure, they should make sure they explain as clearly as possible the aims of the use of technology to maximize effectiveness and minimize students' resistance.
Descriptors: Educational Technology, Undergraduate Students, Student Attitudes, Academic Language, Student Evaluation, Feedback (Response), Computer Mediated Communication, Technology Uses in Education, Literature Reviews, Teacher Student Relationship, Evaluation Methods, Foreign Countries, Private Colleges
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Europe
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A