The relative effect of trained peer response : traditional versus electronic modes on college EFL Lebanese students’ writing performance, revision types, perceptions towards peer response, and attitudes towards writing -

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether or not trained peer response and its application in different contexts (face-to-face, online, mixed mode) helps college EFL learners improve their writing performance, produce more text-based meaning level revision types, develop more positive attitudes towards writing as well as develop more positive perceptions towards peer response. In this quasi-experimental study, 44 college Lebanese students were randomly assigned into four peer response groups; a control group as well as three trained peer response experimental groups were investigated: traditional, face-to-face, online, and a combination of both modes. The experimental groups and the control group were administered pre-test measures: first drafts and WAS writing attitude scale. After the training of the experimental groups in peer response, both the experimental and the control groups were administered post-test measures: final drafts and WAS writing attitude scale and a questionnaire on perceptions towards peer response. Statistical procedures were used to analyze all the data including descriptive statistics (frequencies, means, and standard deviations), One Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), Post-hoc Tukey, and Cronbach's Alpha. One Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) test revealed statistically significant differences among treatment conditions in favor of groups who were trained in peer response. Post-hoc Tukey test reported that the significant difference was between the control group and both online and mixed mode groups in their writing performance. Frequencies of distributions revealed that the traditional face-to-face group did the most number of surface-level and micro-text based level revision types whereas the mixed mode group made the most number of macro-text based level revision types which in turn improved students’ overall quality of texts. Moreover, Post-hoc Tukey test reported that the significant difference was between the control group and the traditional face-to-face group in f