Joint construction Donnarumma & Shrestha 2011, EATAW conference, Ireland

Joint Construction in academic writing: an Exploration of collaborative learning in an open and distance university

David Donnarumma & Prithvi Shrestha OpenELT, Department of Languages, Faculty

of Education and Language Studies The Open University, UK

Overview •  Rationale •  Theoretical framework(s) •  Data collection and analysis •  Preliminary results •  Conclusion & Implications •  Questions and comments

EATAW Conference 2011

Rationale

•  Value of collaborative learning in higher education widely accepted (e.g., Biggs 1999)

•  Application of collaborative learning to writing instruction – Current trend in 21st century writing instruction(Jujwik

et al 2006) •  Joint Construction in academic writing under-

researched •  Focus on face-to-face contexts (e.g. Humphrey and

Macnaught, 2011)


Research question

•  How is the Joint construction stage realized in academic writing of an EAP course in open and distance learning?


Theoretical framework(s)

•  The Teaching Learning Cycle (TLC) – e.g., Rothery (1996)

•  Three phases


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Joint construction •  Three stages (Humphrey and McNaught 2011)

– Bridging – Text negotiation – Review

•  Variation in degree of teacher control – Time – Learner background – Familiarity with target genre – Knowledge of the field

•  Flexibility in design of joint construction


Research context •  Open and distance learning

– Promotes fair access for all – Broad cultural background of students

•  EAP online – Level 1 30 credit module – 50% UK and 50% international students – Core texts: real student assignments – No printed materials – Use of synchronous and asynchronous communication


Data collection •  Participants – six students (3 L1 and 3 EAL speakers) •  Data

– Assignment tasks and guidance notes – Forum discussions – Written assignments


Key findings (1)

•  Teacher control = detailed assignment guidance notes and task instructions

•  Identified 2 stages in joint construction – Bridging = Recapping – Text negotiation = Creating a text, Praising,

evaluating and suggesting alternatives •  Little teacher facilitator input into forum discussions

Detailed guidance notes

•  Task instructions


Bridging •  Recapping the metalanguage

“My first action would be to read the question a few times to decide what is required. In this case, in my opinion, we are being asked to critically discuss the causes and solutions responsible for the onset of deforestation. It is suggested that we follow a simple order for our essay i.e. Background, Issue, Arguments for and against (including challenges) and finally our position and conclusion.” [Student 1, Tutor Group Forum, Sunday, 27 June 2010]

•  Recapping the purposes of the stages “The background would be the form of my first paragraph that would detail general information …”

Text negotiation •  Creating a text Problems and causes Deforestation and forest degradation caused by activities

of private agents such as private entrepreneurs, corporations, shifting cultivators…

•  Providing explicit praise or encouragement Your table looks very organized, it shows you understood

this topic clearly. It gives in-depth information, revealing the most important concepts. I also like that you gave some brief examples and explanation.

•  Honest evaluation of preferred language selections ‘Once again it's hard to find a weak point, perhaps your

language is a bit too complicated, but this might have been your purpose to sound more academic.’

Text negotiation •  Suggesting alternatives “In your problem list you mention the 'Private Agent'

problem and the way in which they do not take into account the future and are only interested in their short term gain. One solution I would suggest is that some type of compensation fund could be allocated through governments to give the private agents an incentive to conserve the rain forests…”


Conclusions and Implications •  Conclusions

– 2 stages of joint construction – Very detailed assignment guidance needed – Little teacher control in online context – Extension of text negotiation stage i.e. suggesting

alternatives •  Implications:

– Review stage should be added – issue of time, assessment

– Surface level interaction by students? – More teacher input may provide greater engagement

with text and language by students EATAW Conference 2011

Questions & comments? Contacts •  David Donnarumma ([email protected]) •  Prithvi Shrestha ([email protected])


References •  Biggs, J. (1999). Teaching for quality learning at university : what the

student does. Buckingham: Society for Research into Higher Education & Open University Press.

•  Humphrey, S., & MacNaught, L. (2011). Revisiting joint construction in the tertiary context. Australian Journal of Language & Literacy, 34(1), 98-115.

•  Juzwik, M., Curcic, S., Wolbers, K., Moxley, K. D., Dimling, L. M., & Shankland, R. K. (2006). Writing into the 21st century. An overview of research on writing 1999 to 2004. Written Communication, 23(4), 451-476.

•  Rothery, J. (1996). Making changes: developing an educational linguistics In R. Hasan & G. Williams (Eds.), Literacy in Society. (pp. 86-123). London: Longman.


Joint construction Donnarumma & Shrestha 2011, EATAW conference, Ireland

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