Effects of Blackboard on EFL academic writing and attitudes

Abstract

This study aimed to recognize the pedagogical effects of Blackboard as a computer-mediated communication (CMC) environment for teaching academic writing and improving students’ attitudes toward academic writing. Learners’ interactions in the CMC environment of Blackboard were analyzed via a controlled descriptive design to examine how students negotiate academic literacy using two types of collaborative online strategies: synchronous chat and asynchronous discussion boards in relation to students’ academic writing. This study followed a qualitative research design employing a variety of strategies, such as observations, students’ online interactions, questionnaires, interviews, and written assignments to investigate the role of computer-mediated communication (CMC) in the development of EFL learners’ academic writing. Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS, and qualitative data were analyzed using En Vivo. The findings indicated that the students’ experiences of using computers, the internet, and Blackboard varied. The longer the students’ experience, the more positive their attitudes were toward the use of CMC to develop academic literacy. In addition, the quantitative findings showed that students who experienced Blackboard communication had a more positive attitude toward the factors of productivity, collaboration, and participation. The results also showed that CMC, mainly in the form of online discussion and online peer-review activity, facilitated students’ interactions and scaffolded learning within their online community. The paper concludes with recommendations for future research.

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