Wiki-based collaborative writing in EFL classrooms: Fluency and learners’ attitudes in focus

Abstract

The purpose of this triangulated mixed-method study was twofold. Firstly, to examine whether the use of wikis as a collaborative tool affected EFL learners’ writing fluency. Secondly, to explore their attitudes toward using wikis. To this end, 72 EFL learners from a language institute in Gachsaran, Iran were selected through convenience sampling and randomly assigned into two groups of conventional and wiki-based writing classes. Whereas the traditional group submitted their writing assignments to the teacher for feedback in class, the wiki group uploaded their writing assignments in the teacher-created wiki site where the learners themselves edited and corrected their writings and sometimes discussed writing topics further. To explore the participants’ attitudes on the use of wiki-based writing, we administered a post-task attitude questionnaire entailing 18 five-point Likert scale items and four open-ended questions. Observational notes were also taken into account for data triangulation. The statistical results indicated that the participants in the wiki group significantly outperformed the traditional group in terms of writing fluency. The results of the qualitative phase of the study involving thematic analysis of the answers to the four open-ended questions as well as the field notes supported the quantitative findings in that the learners generally held positive attitudes toward using wikis. The implications of the results are also discussed in the paper.