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Unfolding the mural of group interaction, creative writing and the computer: a case study of three English as an additional language (EAL) learners

University of British Columbia

This research explores the group interaction of three adult English as an Additional Language (EAL) university students in the context of the computer. The group met five times over a period of five weeks to collaborate for two hours on creative writing tasks at the computer. The five activities were linked to the theme of Identity and included a short story, a poem, a letter, a television commercial and a written dialogue. Through a qualitative case study approach, the research sought to meld the learners' perceptions of the interactive process with that of the researcher. The study describes the themes and patterns which emerge from the collaborative sessions and also examines the role that process plays in the outcome of the product. To document the process I kept a journal, took notes during the sessions and conducted both group and individual discussion/interviews. Each session was both audio and video taped. The findings of the study suggest that the interaction surrounding the computer is a complex phenomenon influenced by factors such as, group dynamics and task type, as well as individual factors. The study showed that the computer facilitated group oral corrections to grammar, vocabulary, spelling and punctuation, but that the talk which surrounded the computer tended to be less fluid and less complex from that of conversational interaction. The computer also prompted alternate means of communication in terms of body language and "talk through the screen". Implications from the findings suggest that the communication which surrounds group interaction on the computer is indeed different then that of group written and oral interaction. The advent of the computer has created a whole new sea of interchange, one which requires further inquiry.

Thesis/Dissertation

application/pdf

2009-03-10

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http://hdl.handle.net/2429/5857

Language and Literacy Education

University of British Columbia

UBCV

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