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Abstract
This study investigated the effect of integrating Blog Assisted Language Learning(BALL) and small culturally -mixed group work on improving the perceptions of intercultural communication and writing research projects of university students (n=102) of different cultures enrolled in Advanced Rhetoric classrooms in two American universities during a 16-week period. The study employed Pre-test/Post-test control group design whereby the experimental group participants received the treatment encompassing the integration of blog-mediated instruction and culturally-mixed group work and the control group received regular research instruction. Data were collected using two surveys. The findings proved that the treatment was effective in improving the experimental group perceptions of the intercultural communication and writing research projects whereas the control group did not show similar improvement.
Keywords: Blog, Culturally-mixed group work, Intercultural communication, Perceptions
1. Introduction
Technology facilitates learning (Iinuma 2016). One example of employing technology to teach communicative writing is using Web 2.0 media, which might be feasible when an interesting project is implemented over a long period of time. Web 2.0 special search features in particular, namely Technorati, Feedster, PubSub, Waypath, and BlogPulse motivate bloggers and enable them to make their posts searchable by content and tags, receive updates using search keywords, follow a search, generate posts, and visualize trends within blogospheric focus (Stevenson and Liu, 2010). However, training in the use of Web 2.0 would be necessary to enhance their foreign language communicative writing skills (Chen, Shih and Liu 2015).
Another example of using technology to teach writing is Blog-Assisted Language Learning (BALL). Research has shown that "blog-based peer feedback had a statistically significant positive correlation with learners' motivation, collaboration, and course satisfaction. The findings also revealed that the feedback was conducive to learners' self-reflection and self-confidence in L2 writing and could give rise to an enhanced L2 writing experience" (Zhang, Song, Shenand Huang, 2014, p.670). Moreover, Intelligent Computer-Assisted Language Learning (ICALL) could increase learners' motivation and collaboration. ICALL environment might also improve the structure and mechanics of learners' writing (Ai 2017), especially that the web-based collaborative writing tasks might enhance the university learners' writing scores which would in turn improve their perceptions of the writing experience (Bikowski and Vithanage, 2016). As such, the practice of intergroup communication might develop learners' intercultural communication skills and improve their perceptions...